Volunteer workforces at events are becoming relentlessly younger; however, this workforce arguably demands a more nuanced management approach. The limited duration of events typically makes the induction and training of volunteers challenging for event managers. Despite the increasing popularity of volunteering, particularly among young people, and the increasing demand for volunteer labour at events, little research exists on human resource management issues pertaining to young volunteers at events. This study examined induction and training of young, short-term volunteers at the Northern University Games (NUG) held in Australia. Through a qualitative case study approach data indicated that NUG volunteers received mostly ad-hoc, on-the-job training, and interviewees indicated a preference for demonstration based training coupled with hands on practice prior to the event. A descriptive model was derived from the data, reflecting young volunteers’ preferences for training and induction. The purpose of this paper is to propose this model and discuss its implications, along with avenues for future research.
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