Difference between revisions of "Volunteer"

Revision as of 02:31, 8 June 2010

The BJC couldn't work without the volunteers that man the registration desk, run workshops, check passes, and empty bins. Without volunteers the BJC could not be anywhere near as good as it is or as cheap.

Plenty of people who come to BJC think of it like any other event: they are paying for a service and expect it to be delivered. They don't necessarily know that the organisers are volunteers; and not all of them are old enough to know that rubbish is not removed by pixies in the night. Almost everybody, though, will help out cheerfully once asked.

Communicating

Past BJCs have used various methods to encourage volunteering:

• Sending people who've pre-registered an info pack including a paragraph asking everyone to help out.
• Asking people to select their choice of volunteer task on their pre-registration form.
• Providing volunteer time-slot sign-up sheets at reg desk
• Putting notices on bins asking people to empty them and replace the bags when they are full
• Putting notices in toilets next to cleaning equipment, asking people to give things a quick wipe if they are getting nasty.
• Simply walking around site asking people to lend a hand
• When an attendee mentions that something needs doing, asking them cheerfully if they would like to volunteer to do it.
• Early in the event, having a compère from a show mention that an hour's volunteering would be appreciated.

Organising Volunteers

Volunteers need to be coordinated so there are clear jobs they can volunteer to do (with the means and instructions to do those jobs).
A good way of doing this can be to set up volunteer rotas for various duties so people can give up an hour or two of their time when it suits them and you don't have 100 volunteers one day and none the next. It is also sensible to use volunteers to their strengths; some will be very good at running workshops, some will be good at helping tech. shows.

Rewarding Volunteers

Many BJCs have had incentive schemes for volunteers where they are rewarded with badges to show they have helped the convention. Some reward volunteers with refreshments. Derby tried to reward volunteers with better seats at the public show but this was not popular with everybody.

Volunteers who work long shifts or miss meals can be given food tokens for the caterer.

Providing the reg desk with drinks and snacks is particularly important since people work long hours during which it's difficult for them to leave the desk to get their own refreshments.

BJC Norwich and BJC Huddersfield had a reward badge scheme where the more times (hours) someone volunteered the different colour badge they were awarded. Some people are still wearing their badges from several years ago.

At BJC 2008, small children were coming to reg desk demanding bin bags so they could go and litter pick (in return for the plastic centres cut out of the passes).

BJC 2010 had a small number of extra crew coloured hoodies (due to a mix up) which were given to people who worked very long hours for the event.

Deliberately ordering two colours of hoodies and reserving the crew colour for sale to people with volunteer badges is something that hasn't been tried yet but could work!

Some people will volunteer every year whatever the scheme, but they should not be taken for granted. Make sure volunteers are thanked for their help. For example, if there's a public "thank you" to the crew during a show or the business meeting, that's a good time to get everyone who's volunteered to stand up and take their own applause.

Volunteer Jobs

Here are some suggestions of jobs that might be entrusted to volunteers, the list is not exhaustive:

• Manning registration desk (for trusted and reliable volunteers only!)
• Manning the Info point (a good job for locals)
• Running workshops
• Badge control
• Marshalling/ushering people on to buses for public show
• Housekeeping
• Erecting/dismantling fencing
• Airport runs to pick up performers (pay for their fuel!)

Other Things to Bear in Mind

It is probably not a good idea to ask a complete stranger to do something that is very important.
Overnight security is best left to professionals.
Little things can make volunteering more pleasant, making sure people on badge control have somewhere they can sit, are protected from adverse weather and are relieved at the end of their shift. Giving the people emptying bins or litter picking some gloves to wear. Making sure people marshalling or ushering for the show have some seats saved for them.

Also read Working with volunteers and What needs doing?.