The Commonwealth Games still helping volunteers like Taleah Kneebone a year on

This Coast resident put in almost 18 months volunteering for the Commonwealth Games - and along with getting an experience of a lifetime, it has paid off career-wise.

TALEAH Kneebone put in almost 18 months volunteering for the Commonwealth Games - and along with getting an experience of a lifetime it has paid off career-wise.

The 26-year-old from Yatala credits her lengthy stint as one of 15,000 volunteers - affectionately dubbed Games Shapers - with her Supercars role she landed afterwards.

She started as the media and events manager for Matt Stone Racing in February: “My career took a big jump forward.

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Taleah Kneebone was selected to assist in showing Prince Andrew around the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre in 2017. Picture: Supplied.

“During my interview they were asking me tons of stuff about my role in the Games. I owe the Games - I doubt I would have got the job if it wasn’t for the Games.”

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Games Shapers like Ms Kneebone became one of the success stories of the event. The 15,000 worked tirelessly before, during and after to bring the Games to life and were credited for their attitudes and friendliness throughout.

Ms Kneebone’s volunteer journey started - long before the Games began - in early 2017 at the volunteer contact centre.

“I just wanted to be a part of it,” she said.

Ms Kneebone spent the first seven months in administration taking phone calls and answering inquiries before interviewing her fellow volunteers for roles.

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As part of her role she followed the Queens Baton Relay around Australia. Picture: Supplied.

She volunteered up to five days a week, whilst working at an after-hours doctor surgery and studied sports management part-time.

But her hard work and dedication was soon recognised.

Ms Kneebone was one of five volunteers selected to show Prince Andrew around the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre in September, 2017.

“It was really cool — he came up and shook my hand and was really interested to know what we were doing in the volunteer program,” she said.

“It was great to have a casual conversation with royalty.”

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Taleah met several Games officials during her time volunteering.

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Ms Kneebone was also part of running the Volunteer Orientation Weekend where she modelled uniforms alongside top athletes.

“That was really cool — (featherweight boxer) Skye Nicolson was there as well,” she said.

“We became quite close friends and we talk all the time and she lives quite close to me. To watch her bring home gold after that was incredible.”

Ms Kneebone was asked to join the 40,000km trip around Australia with the Queens Baton Relay (QBR).

“I was assisting with all the admin tasks, making sure all the QBR crew had food, accommodation, their laundry was done and everyone knew what they were doing and where they were supposed to be,” she said.

“It was a cool job — I got to see a lot of Australia. We were nowhere longer than about three days — from January until April 4 I lived out of a suitcase.”

During the Games, Ms Kneebone was part of the volunteer team placed at the hockey where she checked accreditation and uniforms.

Despite giving up almost 18 months of her life she said she wouldn’t hesitate to stick her hand up again if the opportunity arose.

“I loved every minute of it,” she said.

“It was bittersweet when it ended. There was a void really hard to fill - it was a bit like ‘What do we do now’?”

Ms Kneebone said it was the lifelong friends she made that keeps the experience in her thoughts.

“I’ll never forget it — it’s the highlight of my whole life,” she said.