Volunteering 2023

[The Red Telephone]

3 minutes ago, fitzkate said:

Yeah. That's the worry but how do they check that you're actually even staying in your tent. He would still be there for the training, and then doing his shifts. We know it's a risk though! 

The main issue would be getting into WV - he’d need a separate wristband and you only get those when you go through the WV gates and have a general admission ticket.

[incident]

1 minute ago, fitzkate said:

Yeah. That's the worry but how do they check that you're actually even staying in your tent. He would still be there for the training, and then doing his shifts. We know it's a risk though! 

The Oxfam side isn't really your obstacle. They won't sanction it, and if asked will say it's forbidden, but unless it's brought to their attention somehow then they won't know and won't go looking for it. Plenty of stewards do stay with friends in general camping despite it being frowned on - the question mark here is that WV isn't general camping.

I don't know whether or not he can consistently get into WV - especially as I believe they changed protocols last year and so what I did know no longer applies. He definitely won't get a WV wristband, but I'm not sure whether he'd need one or not or whether his EPO (Staff) wristband would get him in.

[Losing my hair]

3 hours ago, efcfanwirral said:

Amazing thanks for all that! 

One last question, as its Festaff I'm looking at this year (though we do have an Oxfam shop in town for another option), do those applications get done before ticket day?

I wouldn't complain at spending time at two or more festivals every year to give me a chance of Glastonbury as a backup because I love festivals in general, but I'm not sure I'm ready to throw my hat into volunteering as the only option just yet

I'm sure that your local Oxfam shop would love to have you as a volunteer. The Festival Shop route though is more to help Oxfam than a backdoor way into Glastonbury, or any of the other festivals that they're at. You'll need at least 3 months experience in the shop and a satisfactory reference from your shop manager. At the festival you'll do 8 shifts - Mon & Tues setting up the shops, there's four of them, a 6 hour shift on each of the 5 festival days Wed-Sun, and then Monday putting the shop away.

So, if your motivation is to help Oxfam then go for it because it's a great gig and so much fun. Otherwise there's probably easier volunteer gigs going.

[Jay Pee]

1 hour ago, Losing my hair said:

I'm sure that your local Oxfam shop would love to have you as a volunteer. The Festival Shop route though is more to help Oxfam than a backdoor way into Glastonbury, or any of the other festivals that they're at. You'll need at least 3 months experience in the shop and a satisfactory reference from your shop manager. At the festival you'll do 8 shifts - Mon & Tues setting up the shops, there's four of them, a 6 hour shift on each of the 5 festival days Wed-Sun, and then Monday putting the shop away.

So, if your motivation is to help Oxfam then go for it because it's a great gig and so much fun. Otherwise there's probably easier volunteer gigs going.

Ben from Burnley could have typed that. Spot on feedback 

[efcfanwirral]

1 hour ago, Losing my hair said:

I'm sure that your local Oxfam shop would love to have you as a volunteer. The Festival Shop route though is more to help Oxfam than a backdoor way into Glastonbury, or any of the other festivals that they're at. You'll need at least 3 months experience in the shop and a satisfactory reference from your shop manager. At the festival you'll do 8 shifts - Mon & Tues setting up the shops, there's four of them, a 6 hour shift on each of the 5 festival days Wed-Sun, and then Monday putting the shop away.

So, if your motivation is to help Oxfam then go for it because it's a great gig and so much fun. Otherwise there's probably easier volunteer gigs going.

You have my number here. Its 100% for the festival so you're definitely right to infer this! I doubt I'd enjoy it either vs the wristbanding/helping people with the others. 

Good info though, I think festaff is the best one for me! 

[stuie]

2 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

You have my number here. Its 100% for the festival so you're definitely right to infer this! I doubt I'd enjoy it either vs the wristbanding/helping people with the others. 

Good info though, I think festaff is the best one for me! 

My issue with Festaff (full disclosure: I’ve worked for them before) is that there’s no charity benefit.  You work your hours in exchange for a wristband and the company owners get paid for providing you. 

I prefer that Oxfam is benefitting from my time, it’s much more satisfying. 

Oh, and they charge you an admin fee to work for them 😂

[incident]

Just now, stuie said:

My issue with Festaff (full disclosure: I’ve worked for them before) is that there’s no charity benefit.  You work your hours in exchange for a wristband and the company owners get paid for providing you. 

I prefer that Oxfam is benefitting from my time, it’s much more satisfying. 

Oh, and they charge you an admin fee to work for them 😂

Definitely that - also (not sure if this is still the case or not) they used to insist on taking and holding on to your ID (passport/driving licence) which I always found to be somewhat unpleasant.

The Admin fee is ridiculous given that it's so high and they charge it per festival - and they're already getting paid by said festivals for your time.

[dondo]

9 minutes ago, stuie said:

My issue with Festaff (full disclosure: I’ve worked for them before) is that there’s no charity benefit.  You work your hours in exchange for a wristband and the company owners get paid for providing you. 

I prefer that Oxfam is benefitting from my time, it’s much more satisfying. 

Oh, and they charge you an admin fee to work for them 😂

Funnily enough I was thinking the same thing as I know this had been posted before ( not sure if by yourself)

[Jay Pee]

WaterAid pay train fare or a chunk of fuel costs to get there. Many volunteers don't claim it for obvious reasons.

Not wanting to turn it into a pissing contest but wanted to highlight that some of the volunteer openings can really make a dent on the festival experience as they seem to ask a lot from people in exchange for access to the festival.

 

[Havors]

3 hours ago, fitzkate said:

Yeah. That's the worry but how do they check that you're actually even staying in your tent. He would still be there for the training, and then doing his shifts. We know it's a risk though! 

The issue is access. Oxfam work on worthy view and if your shift is there you will have a wrist band and everything is hunky dory. 

If not... then it's totally at the mercy of security and oxfam management. Technically its a no... you don't have shift there so you really don't need access. In the real world... oxfam work there so security will depending on how by the book or diligent they are let you through or tell you to get lost. Trying to actually camp there for 5 days you have no chance... you're going to get knocked back multiple times over the week.  (Unless your shifts are there and that's a million to one shot haha)

I personally would like them to allow access as I always have friends staying there and if I'm off shift it would great to go see them... but it's just not that simple. 

[ConMan]

Hi all,

First time volunteer here. Does anyone know what the shift patterns are like for Shelter?

Based off above reading, it looks like Oxfam is 6am-2pm, 2pm-10pm, 10pm-6am. Is Shelter something similar, or is it more adapted to what bar you’re working on etc.?

The Shelter guidelines advise that it’ll be in one of the following combinations:

- 3 days x 8 hours

- 4 days x 6 hours

- 2 days x 8 hours plus 2 days x 4 hours

What have they done in previous years?

Thanks!

[Johnnyseven]

On the spreadsheet there is a company called Event Bars as an option. I've applied to them but does anyone know which bars they operate? There's zero info on their website.

[tomf3]

18 hours ago, fitzkate said:

Has anyone volunteering with Oxfam at Glastonbury ever stayed at Worthy View please? My boyfriend has a Oxfam volunteer place, and I have a general admission ticket. We were hoping to get lucky on Sunday, but like many others we weren't. Just wondering if he would be able to get into Worthy View to camp with us? We have allowed for him in numbers. He would still fulfill his volunteering shifts. We just would like to be able to camp together. 

If you've allowed for him in the Worthy View numbers (e.g. 6 people per tent = 6 WV wristbands) then you can give him one of the allocated wristbands and there would be no dramas getting in. Can't imagine in practice Oxfam could care less who doesn't camp there as loads of volunteers would be either out on a shift, or out having good time all night, so no way to monitor it.  

[Johnnyseven]

16 minutes ago, tomf3 said:

If you've allowed for him in the Worthy View numbers (e.g. 6 people per tent = 6 WV wristbands) then you can give him one of the allocated wristbands and there would be no dramas getting in. Can't imagine in practice Oxfam could care less who doesn't camp there as loads of volunteers would be either out on a shift, or out having good time all night, so no way to monitor it.  

Depends if they hand out the WV wristbands to the group to give out later or will only put it on the wrist of the ticket holder. I can't remember what they were doing last year, but then both my wife and I arrived there at the same time. Comments i've seen on FB say that you need to show your GA ticket before they'll put a WV band on your wrist.

Edited April 26, 2023 by Johnnyseven

[t0paz]

1 hour ago, Johnnyseven said:

On the spreadsheet there is a company called Event Bars as an option. I've applied to them but does anyone know which bars they operate? There's zero info on their website.

I don’t know about those but these guys do Arcadia, Shangri La and Silver Hayes

https://refreshwest.eventmaster.jobs/events/4WmAy8aihO9QuXVNniRJ

Edit: Sorry, just seen they’re full

Edited April 26, 2023 by t0paz

[svphie]

2 hours ago, ConMan said:

Hi all,

First time volunteer here. Does anyone know what the shift patterns are like for Shelter?

Based off above reading, it looks like Oxfam is 6am-2pm, 2pm-10pm, 10pm-6am. Is Shelter something similar, or is it more adapted to what bar you’re working on etc.?

The Shelter guidelines advise that it’ll be in one of the following combinations:

- 3 days x 8 hours

- 4 days x 6 hours

- 2 days x 8 hours plus 2 days x 4 hours

What have they done in previous years?

Thanks!

I was with Shelter in 2019 and 2022, both times I did 3 days x 8 hours.

[Crazyfool01]

if places were to become available for oxfam what other details would I need to confirm a booking with someone elses  login ?

[stuie]

22 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

if places were to become available for oxfam what other details would I need to confirm a booking with someone elses  login ?

Payment details. Not restricted to the person you are booking for. Everything else is done after on their profile page. 

[Crazyfool01]

Just now, stuie said:

Payment details. Not restricted to the person you are booking for. Everything else is done after on their profile page. 

so selecting shifts etc.... option for pre festival can be done after ? 

[stuie]

3 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

so selecting shifts etc.... option for pre festival can be done after ? 

Yeah literally select steward at glasto, accept t&cs and pay. Everything else is questions on profile after booking confirmed.

[Crazyfool01]

3 minutes ago, stuie said:

Yeah literally select steward at glasto, accept t&cs and pay. Everything else is questions on profile after booking confirmed.

fantastic Thanks 

[ConMan]

3 hours ago, svphie said:

I was with Shelter in 2019 and 2022, both times I did 3 days x 8 hours.

Ah okay, thanks. Was there a set split pattern, or was it just a case of ‘you’ll be here at x o’clock and finish at y o’clock’ ?

[Jack.194]

2 hours ago, Crazyfool01 said:

if places were to become available for oxfam what other details would I need to confirm a booking with someone elses  login ?

Any idea when these would become available?

[Leyrulion]

6 hours ago, Johnnyseven said:

On the spreadsheet there is a company called Event Bars as an option. I've applied to them but does anyone know which bars they operate? There's zero info on their website.

Ridge and furrow, open arms, West Holt's backstage.

[Leyrulion]

1 minute ago, Jack.194 said:

Any idea when these would become available?

Absolutely none. As soon as the office processes any cancellations and puts them back out.