Volunteering 2024

[stuie]

2 minutes ago, thewomble said:

I'm starting to have a look at options for volunteering too - not sure I can face the disappointment in the resale 🙂

 

Thanks for sharing this! Will have a good look through this sheet and in the meantime I'm interested to hear different views for people who've worked the various volunteer roles so will see what groups I can find on FB. From an initial look I'm leaning towards Oxfam! Would actually be quite nice to see the festival from a different perspective and meet some new people along the way

Here's the Oxfam Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/oxfamfestivalsteam

There's a few of us on here too, so if you have any questions please do ask.  

In summary, if you're sociable and enjoy talking to people and you're prepared to miss some of the festival then you'll probably enjoy it very much.  The perks are good and you get a whole week on the farm and access to most of the crew bars.

[Leyrulion]

11 minutes ago, thewomble said:

Thanks for sharing this! Will have a good look through this sheet and in the meantime I'm interested to hear different views for people who've worked the various volunteer roles so will see what groups I can find on FB. From an initial look I'm leaning towards Oxfam! Would actually be quite nice to see the festival from a different perspective and meet some new people along the way

Oxfam I think is a great opportunity, but for a first time volunteer it's not a particularly reliable route in because it is so competitive. 

Places go in literally 2 or 3 minutes. So also register and apply for water aid and Shelter. 

[incident]

Just now, Leyrulion said:

Oxfam I think is a great opportunity, but for a first time volunteer it's not a particularly reliable route in because it is so competitive. 

Places go in literally 2 or 3 minutes. So also register and apply for water aid and Shelter. 

The counter to that is that because the applications are so public - and there's so many places - it's a very reliable way in for those prepared to stick at it right until the bitter end.

The last few festivals we've had places come up (and people on here snaffling them) right up until a few days before the festival. To the extent that I think anyone who has held their nerve (admittedly, requiring some fortitude) has managed it.

[amfy]

15 minutes ago, incident said:

The counter to that is that because the applications are so public - and there's so many places - it's a very reliable way in for those prepared to stick at it right until the bitter end.

The last few festivals we've had places come up (and people on here snaffling them) right up until a few days before the festival. To the extent that I think anyone who has held their nerve (admittedly, requiring some fortitude) has managed it.

Definitely this.

The places go in moments in the first day of non-priority applications, but people then drop out for a while twangs if reasons from:

Getting tickets in the resale, deciding to go with a different company, deciding not to volunteer after all, all sorts of life events, pregnancy, bereavement, Illness & accidents.

The places just drip back in as they are returned so it’s worth keep checking back, but the key times to look are just after the resale,  just before the deposit return deadline, & actually literally just before the festival because that’s when something unexpected will take a few people out of the frame.

 

Oxfam take 2500 volunteers, that’s a lot of people with a lot of different stuff going on! 

Edited November 22, 2023 by amfy

[JayDiesel]

Quick Q on the Shelter groups - is there an easy means of knowing when they open for registration? Also, are those 3x8 hour shifts from Wednesday or from Friday?

[Leyrulion]

6 minutes ago, JayDiesel said:

Quick Q on the Shelter groups - is there an easy means of knowing when they open for registration? Also, are those 3x8 hour shifts from Wednesday or from Friday?

From whenever bars are open, the form has gone up before Christmas usually.

[Leyrulion]

9 minutes ago, amfy said:

Definitely this.

The places go in moments in the first day of non-priority applications, but people then drop out for a while twangs if reasons from:

Getting tickets in the resale, deciding to go with a different company, deciding not to volunteer after all, all sorts of life events, pregnancy, bereavement, Illness & accidents.

The places just drip back in as they are returned so it’s worth keep checking back, but the key times to look are just after the resale,  just before the deposit return deadline, & actually literally just before the festival because that’s when something unexpected will take a few people out of the frame.

 

Oxfam take 2500 volunteers, that’s a lot of people with a lot of different stuff going on! 

 

24 minutes ago, incident said:

The counter to that is that because the applications are so public - and there's so many places - it's a very reliable way in for those prepared to stick at it right until the bitter end.

The last few festivals we've had places come up (and people on here snaffling them) right up until a few days before the festival. To the extent that I think anyone who has held their nerve (admittedly, requiring some fortitude) has managed it.

That's true, this year was a little different to previous years and I remember places being a lot less likely to come up. 

They had an official "resale" of sorts and then only 1 or 2 times when places became available after that. I know people with page monitors that were struggling whereas before I'd have assumed they would get in. There was even someone who said they got their place cancelled by Oxfam for "tricking the system" (we never found out if that was true).

If they continue tightening it up this year then it could be more of an issue. 

[incident]

2 minutes ago, Leyrulion said:

That's true, this year was a little different to previous years and I remember places being a lot less likely to come up. 

They had an official "resale" of sorts and then only 1 or 2 times when places became available after that. I know people with page monitors that were struggling whereas before I'd have assumed they would get in. There was even someone who said they got their place cancelled by Oxfam for "tricking the system" (we never found out if that was true).

If they continue tightening it up this year then it could be more of an issue. 

If I remember correctly - this year was different in that they realised people were camping out on the site looking for places (potentially not helped by a minor trick I posted to help people do so), so for what felt like a very long time after that they held off releasing places until that "official resale". I'm pretty sure that after that places came back in dribs and drabs as usual though.

Pretty certain the person was talking bullshit.

[amfy]

1 hour ago, JayDiesel said:

Quick Q on the Shelter groups - is there an easy means of knowing when they open for registration? Also, are those 3x8 hour shifts from Wednesday or from Friday?

Wednesday.

 

 

 

[Miriam Brooks]

Hello! Welcome to my cheeky longshot message.

I am huge hippy, believer in the Glastonbury ethos - it's been said that the festival is "my entire personality".

Obviously devastated to miss out as a punter for the first time - but also see it as a potential blessing in disguise as I could end up helping out making the event what it is as a volunteer instead.

I have exactly 0 personal inroads (I have a very demanding 9-5 that stops me from volunteering) - but the thing I'd be most interested in is litter picking/recycling crew. I know I need to have someone on the inside to recommend me (and obviously I don't expect someone to do that without meeting me first!)

SO: if you are a previous volunteer, I would be grateful if you could shoot me a DM and we could potentially set up some kind of zoom/in person meeting to explore the role, my suitability, and if you would be willing to pass over my details.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Miriam Brooks

[JayDiesel]

7 minutes ago, Miriam Brooks said:

Hello! Welcome to my cheeky longshot message.

I am huge hippy, believer in the Glastonbury ethos - it's been said that the festival is "my entire personality".

Obviously devastated to miss out as a punter for the first time - but also see it as a potential blessing in disguise as I could end up helping out making the event what it is as a volunteer instead.

I have exactly 0 personal inroads (I have a very demanding 9-5 that stops me from volunteering) - but the thing I'd be most interested in is litter picking/recycling crew. I know I need to have someone on the inside to recommend me (and obviously I don't expect someone to do that without meeting me first!)

SO: if you are a previous volunteer, I would be grateful if you could shoot me a DM and we could potentially set up some kind of zoom/in person meeting to explore the role, my suitability, and if you would be willing to pass over my details.

I'm in the same boat man, I think litter picking is borderline impossible to get on but would be happily proven wrong. Best of luck 🫡

[giantkatestacks]

1 hour ago, Miriam Brooks said:

Hello! Welcome to my cheeky longshot message.

I am huge hippy, believer in the Glastonbury ethos - it's been said that the festival is "my entire personality".

Obviously devastated to miss out as a punter for the first time - but also see it as a potential blessing in disguise as I could end up helping out making the event what it is as a volunteer instead.

I have exactly 0 personal inroads (I have a very demanding 9-5 that stops me from volunteering) - but the thing I'd be most interested in is litter picking/recycling crew. I know I need to have someone on the inside to recommend me (and obviously I don't expect someone to do that without meeting me first!)

SO: if you are a previous volunteer, I would be grateful if you could shoot me a DM and we could potentially set up some kind of zoom/in person meeting to explore the role, my suitability, and if you would be willing to pass over my details.

Hi - I cant speak for all litter pickers but we have all mostly got our own friends and family on the waiting lists and they don't get on either so the chances of recommending someone you don't know are very low. WaterAid might be a better option - they camp very near us, have all the same facilities etc.

[Rex2]

Hey guys. Looking at FMS as an option but there seems to be a fair amount of outlay with training and insurance  costs and they seem to have quite high standards when it comes to experience required. Is there any benefit to these roles as opposed to just applying for Oxfam (which seems easier, cheaper with more benefits)?

[Johnnyseven]

5 hours ago, Leyrulion said:

There was even someone who said they got their place cancelled by Oxfam for "tricking the system" (we never found out if that was true).

That was bollocks, a person that signed up to the site just to make that 1 post and never heard from again when we questioned them we got no response. They were just trying to put people off to increase their chances of getting a last minute space.

[balti-pie]

1 hour ago, Rex2 said:

Hey guys. Looking at FMS as an option but there seems to be a fair amount of outlay with training and insurance  costs and they seem to have quite high standards when it comes to experience required. Is there any benefit to these roles as opposed to just applying for Oxfam (which seems easier, cheaper with more benefits)?

Depends on what you want to do. I work in psychiatry, and to be honest I really don’t want to take time off work to end up doing the same thing - especially considering it’ll be 90% drug-induced psychosis, and that’s not a particularly fun part of the job. Stewarding with Oxfam is a very different thing to my normal job and I like the break, I like the lack of responsibility, I like the easiness of it! 
FMS is good though, you’d tend to do two shifts and won’t be on your feet as much (probably) and you might even be able to take a companion along with you (but would have to pay for their ticket, and it’s dependant on availability and demand etc - might take a couple of years) 

[Rex2]

Nice one. The (paid for) extra ticket makes it worth it so I'll apply and see what happens. If not Oxfam it is

[BillieBobs]

I have a quick question about FMS. I’m a  qualified mental health first aider, just recently completed my refresher course.

Would FMS need mental health first aiders, or should I explore volunteering with Samaritans? 

[Avalon_Fields]

8 minutes ago, BillieBobs said:

I have a quick question about FMS. I’m a  qualified mental health first aider, just recently completed my refresher course.

Would FMS need mental health first aiders

Check for any vacancies on their website in 2024, they will always be published:

https://www.festival-medical.org/get-involved

[BillieBobs]

2 hours ago, Avalon_Fields said:

Check for any vacancies on their website in 2024, they will always be published:

https://www.festival-medical.org/get-involved

That’s a great help. Thanks so much 

[thekiwi]

18 hours ago, Rex2 said:

Hey guys. Looking at FMS as an option but there seems to be a fair amount of outlay with training and insurance  costs and they seem to have quite high standards when it comes to experience required. Is there any benefit to these roles as opposed to just applying for Oxfam (which seems easier, cheaper with more benefits)?

Im a Paramedic who has volunteered for them before. The perks are you only have to do 2 x 8 hour shifts and have unlimited showers.

I would personally much rather work 3 x 8 hours shifts doing Oxfam or shelter. You just can't completely enjoy yourself knowing youve got a shift coming up where you might need to resuscitate someone. 

[e_p]

when does shelter registerign open up? anyone know?

[stuie]

5 minutes ago, e_p said:

when does shelter registerign open up? anyone know?

January.

Keep an eye on here or their website.

[Leyrulion]

22 hours ago, BillieBobs said:

I have a quick question about FMS. I’m a  qualified mental health first aider, just recently completed my refresher course.

Would FMS need mental health first aiders, or should I explore volunteering with Samaritans? 

Look at TLC welfare or ithinc as other welfare options as well. 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JAcEC1skr5YsqgyIYUwy6_1HSRh0Fw_Ud0RkQaQIPkM/edit?usp=drivesdk

 

[Leyrulion]

22 hours ago, BillieBobs said:

I have a quick question about FMS. I’m a  qualified mental health first aider, just recently completed my refresher course.

Would FMS need mental health first aiders, or should I explore volunteering with Samaritans? 

Thanks for pointer to Samaritans though, looks like they are open right now to recruitment for volunteers. But you must do more than one event. 

https://www.samaritans.org/branches/festival-branch/

 

 

[Rex2]

7 hours ago, thekiwi said:

Im a Paramedic who has volunteered for them before. The perks are you only have to do 2 x 8 hour shifts and have unlimited showers.

I would personally much rather work 3 x 8 hours shifts doing Oxfam or shelter. You just can't completely enjoy yourself knowing youve got a shift coming up where you might need to resuscitate someone. 

Physio myself so don't need to worry about sprained ankles lol