Volunteering 2024

[stuie]

Some people on facebook Glastonbury Workers group have received emails from Critical Waste saying they aren’t invited to work this year after 15 years or service. 

I hope all of you efest people get your invites. It sounds like there’s some changes going on this year. 

[Skip997]

12 minutes ago, stuie said:

I hope all of you efest people get your invites. It sounds like there’s some changes going on this year. 

This is why I'm worried. As I've said before, our team was very nearly replaced by "professional" festival traffic management last year.

It was only intervention by "someone high up" that saved us.

I know it's only mid Jan, but this is late for us.

[deadponyclub]

Just had this email from WaterAid re applications for volunteering at festivals….

We're planning to launch applications at the end of January, and we'll be in touch again as soon as we do. In the meantime, make sure you're prepared by reading our festival volunteering webpage and frequently asked questions.   We really hope you're able to apply to join us and support our mission to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene a normal part of daily life – for everyone, everywhere 💙

Very best wishes,   Jacqui, Laura, Polly, Rachel and Rebecca WaterAid Festivals Team

 

[Leyrulion]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

Some people on facebook Glastonbury Workers group have received emails from Critical Waste saying they aren’t invited to work this year after 15 years or service. 

I hope all of you efest people get your invites. It sounds like there’s some changes going on this year. 

What did they do at the festival?

[stuie]

58 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

What did they do at the festival?

Recycling crew. 

[fred quimby]

2 hours ago, stuie said:

Some people on facebook Glastonbury Workers group have received emails from Critical Waste saying they aren’t invited to work this year after 15 years or service. 

I hope all of you efest people get your invites. It sounds like there’s some changes going on this year. 

Blimey, wonder why. And yes hope efest folk are ok

[fred quimby]

2 hours ago, Skip997 said:

This is why I'm worried. As I've said before, our team was very nearly replaced by "professional" festival traffic management last year.

It was only intervention by "someone high up" that saved us.

I know it's only mid Jan, but this is late for us.

Yea I do wonder if my time is up, close last year so might happen.

[dondo]

3 hours ago, stuie said:

Some people on facebook Glastonbury Workers group have received emails from Critical Waste saying they aren’t invited to work this year after 15 years or service. 

I hope all of you efest people get your invites. It sounds like there’s some changes going on this year. 

I saw that too and didn't sound good. I think some of the people who were my team leaders in the past were Critical Waste people.

Fingers crossed that you get sorted @Skip997, @fred quimby and others.

 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

12 hours ago, Skip997 said:

This is why I'm worried. As I've said before, our team was very nearly replaced by "professional" festival traffic management last year.

It was only intervention by "someone high up" that saved us.

I know it's only mid Jan, but this is late for us.

Could that change be for insurance reasons, Skip? I have to say, that's such an important role, particularly on the Wednesday and Thursday when there's still a fair few vehicles around on the railway line. The team there always do a great job under difficult circumstances 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

I think it's a bad look to inform people that their services are no longer required after they've had a realistic opportunity to buy a ticket

[Crazyfool01]

4 minutes ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

I think it's a bad look to inform people that their services are no longer required after they've had a realistic opportunity to buy a ticket

Yeah absolutely the festival must already know they plan to make cuts / changes in this area 

[Skip997]

1 hour ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

I think it's a bad look to inform people that their services are no longer required after they've had a realistic opportunity to buy a ticket

Good point, but as I've said before I wouldn't go as a punter.

[stuie]

4 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Good point, but as I've said before I wouldn't go as a punter.

Come and join the Oxfamily if it doesn't work out 🙂 

[Skip997]

1 hour ago, Supernintendo Chalmers said:

Could that change be for insurance reasons, Skip? I have to say, that's such an important role, particularly on the Wednesday and Thursday when there's still a fair few vehicles around on the railway line. The team there always do a great job under difficult circumstances 

Could be I guess, and yes it's a very important role with a lot of responsibility, but our team is massively experienced and it could be argued that we really know how it works.

Full disclosure, it's not what I do anymore. Although I'm officially part of the same team I have a much easier position helping to manage the Dragon Field.

Anyway, if we're no longer required in either role, then I have two other possible ways in, but I'd need to know ASAP so I can make arrangements before those other options are no longer available.

[Aragorn]

13 hours ago, Skip997 said:

This is why I'm worried. As I've said before, our team was very nearly replaced by "professional" festival traffic management last year.

It was only intervention by "someone high up" that saved us.

I know it's only mid Jan, but this is late for us.

I spoke to Jake at Recycling - the invite for non vets should be arriving soon.  Does the recycling crew get different invites from different people?  IE some direct from Critical waste and some from Fi and Jake?

[philipsteak]

39 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Could be I guess, and yes it's a very important role with a lot of responsibility, but our team is massively experienced and it could be argued that we really know how it works.

Full disclosure, it's not what I do anymore. Although I'm officially part of the same team I have a much easier position helping to manage the Dragon Field.

Anyway, if we're no longer required in either role, then I have two other possible ways in, but I'd need to know ASAP so I can make arrangements before those other options are no longer available.

That's the thing, innit. On paper the professional team look better but on the ground, the guys who've been doing it for 30 years a know the place like the back of their hands and know about all the weird little quirks are probably going to do a better job.

[giantkatestacks]

15 hours ago, stuie said:

Some people on facebook Glastonbury Workers group have received emails from Critical Waste saying they aren’t invited to work this year after 15 years or service. 

I hope all of you efest people get your invites. It sounds like there’s some changes going on this year. 

There were some rumblings about recycling change last year onsite but I dismissed them as the normal gossip. Basically that the recruitment process wasn't really upto scratch. To be honest I think that's all hearsay - there is no way of knowing if you recruit new people by any method how hard they are going to work. I think this goes for all of the volunteer teams - that's why they are overstaffed to make up for the few who don't pull their weight.

[dondo]

1 hour ago, Aragorn said:

I spoke to Jake at Recycling - the invite for non vets should be arriving soon.  Does the recycling crew get different invites from different people?  IE some direct from Critical waste and some from Fi and Jake?

I could be wrong but it is my understanding that a lot of the Critical Waste people more manage setting up/managing/taking down the recycling crew operation at the festival itself.  So I think some are employed as opposed to volunteering so would think they would be recruited differently. 

[dotdash79]

Do paid staff count towards the license numbers?

[incident]

2 minutes ago, dotdash79 said:

Do paid staff count towards the license numbers?

If they're on-site during the show (ie Wednesday-Sunday), then yes. Everyone does.

[stuie]

9 minutes ago, dotdash79 said:

Do paid staff count towards the license numbers?

Even Michael Eavis and Stevie Wonder count towards the licence numbers! 

[Leyrulion]

2 hours ago, philipsteak said:

That's the thing, innit. On paper the professional team look better but on the ground, the guys who've been doing it for 30 years a know the place like the back of their hands and know about all the weird little quirks are probably going to do a better job.

With my work hat on I guess if you were a lay person looking at their risk management plan having an activity that's high on your risk register run by a volunteer group could have moved to an intolerable risk. It might be that something has happened in the last couple of years to change their calculations, that might not even be anything to do with that specific group.  Something could happen at another festival that they'd be expected to learn from or new sector guidance on how to best manage it has come out that a volunteer run group might know or be able to implement. 

 

Also possible that it's just being slow because the lead is in Asia at the moment! 

[Aragorn]

Just got my Recycling Crew invitation as a returning volunteer from last year

[deepkittycaz]

3 hours ago, giantkatestacks said:

 I think this goes for all of the volunteer teams - that's why they are overstaffed to make up for the few who don't pull their weight.

God yes - on the Lockups, all you need is one person slacking off during a busy period and it's mayhem.

[balti-pie]

3 hours ago, giantkatestacks said:

 this goes for all of the volunteer teams - that's why they are overstaffed to make up for the few who don't pull their weight.

Absolutely 100% from the Oxfam POV. There'll be ten of us at a gate for instance, with roles for probably six, and four people either helping with enquiries, getting stuck in and refreshing the people on the stated roles, or theyre stood around moaning that their feet hurt and inventing reasons why they cant finish their shifts 😄 

 

i'd far rather have a thing to do, and then i'll just get me head down and do it. It goes quicker!  Clockwatching does nobody any favours at all 

Edited January 18 by balti-pie