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Volunteering - Wateraid vs Oxfam


4519dennis

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I have done wateraid volunteering a couple of times. I think they r great, wonderful charity and the work is usually fun.. I really didn't mind cleaning the toilets either.

The best part is the wateraid only campsite which is quiet and lots of tea and cereal bars r provided. With wateraid though, they typically ask you to provide examples of when u have done things for the charity in the application and it'll br hard for u if you have not been associated with them in the past. 

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I have written on my experiences with WA in last year's volunteering thread, which sadly are not as positive as Terw's. Last year they expanded massively (three times as many toilets as before) and the organisation building up to and during the festival was left wanting. Not being able to organise hand-sanitiser for toilet blocks for the Friday and Saturday was absolutely shocking, for example. I can't comment on Oxfam so won't, but I would do WA again in a heartbeat though, organisation aside, it was a brilliant experience. I enjoyed cleaning the toilets and it gives a unique take on the festival. Definitely go for it.

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On 1/3/2020 at 12:15 PM, 4519dennis said:

I was thinking of volunteering this year and had registered for both Wateraid and Oxfam. I wondered whether anyone had done both and had strong views as to what the pros and cons were?

Likewise to @sirjonnyp I’ve commented on Oxfam volunteering in Volunteering 2020 thread. This was my summary from the 2019 volunteering thread

“So this was my first time volunteering at a festival and I was with Oxfam. I was lucky with my shifts as I didn’t miss any artists I wanted to see but did end up on on a ped gate in the sun (jeez it was hot).  So my post is with that perspective.

Working 8 hour shifts in any capacity at a festival is going to drain your energy, in the sun or rain.  Some shifts were 60mins from camp. I was burning into the reserves and booze free days would have helped with hindsight :).

I thought the briefing was stern but needed to be. Oxfam have a reputation to protect and not everyone thinks in the same way. Some people will want to put a lot into the shifts and some are shirkers (I definitely saw one of them - so annoying). Some will just downright take the piss.  I had no problem with them setting out the boundaries early doors.

Some tasks such as an incredibly quiet vehicle gate are boring. Having stewards who are good company is essential but also down to luck.

All my supervisors were polite and friendly.  We were rotated out of the sun when it got hot. 

I cant comment on the number of stewards as I don’t know anything about the deal with the festival or licence conditions etc etc.

Loved parking close to the camp, loved the caterers (cracking late night chips), loved the showers (I missed one planned shower when they prioritised drinking water).  It was a long walk in to the festival, so chilling out at the tent for an hour between acts isn’t an option. Left with the mantra “if I’m going out, I’m staying out” :). 

I thought Oxfam could have been clearer that at Glastonbury all the shifts are on the perimeter. A part of me thought we would be stewarding around the music venues but maybe that is just me.  

Other than that, training was good (did mine online), pre-festival information was clear, campsite was full of lovely people and there was a sense of community around the place.  I was there with someone and appreciated that they put us on the same shift times (at different locations).

The shifts you end up with make a huge difference. If my mates are volunteering too, i’d work with Oxfam before getting a regular ticket. Even if it means missing an act or two.”

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