Volunteer Coordinator - Revision history

Presley: /* General Info */ make this more of a template that others can follow

2026-01-09T03:31:54Z

General Info: make this more of a template that others can follow

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:31, 8 January 2026
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	* Sits in the Exec cluster of Festcomm		* Sits in the Exec cluster of Festcomm
	* Attends biweekly Festcomm meetings January-July
	* Core email: volunteer@fireflyartscollective.org		* Core email: volunteer@fireflyartscollective.org
	* Included in the planning@fireflyartscollective.org mailing list with all cluster and core leads		* Included in the planning@fireflyartscollective.org mailing list with all cluster and core leads
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	== Responsibilities ==		== Responsibilities ==

	* ~~Helping to~~ fill core and cluster lead roles		* Attend biweekly Festcomm meetings January-July (can be remote)
	* ~~Clarifying and promoting~~ shift roles		* Help fill core and cluster lead roles
	* ~~Giving~~ core leads access to update their shifts on the ~~website~~		* Help promote shift roles
	* ~~Assigning~~ leads to email lists (once they have a Firefly email)		* Give core leads access to update their shifts in the volunteer portal
	* ~~Fielding~~ questions about volunteering		* Assign leads to email lists (once they have a Firefly email)
			* Field questions about volunteering

	== ~~Important skills~~ ==		== Who makes a good Volunteer Coordinator? ==

	* ~~Email skills~~. The only contact info we're guaranteed to have for volunteers is their email address, and we communicate with them en masse via mailing lists. Figuring out which roles need to be filled and trying to fill them requires keeping track of a lot of emails. The VC needs to be the person who follows up with people who forget to respond, not the person who forgets to respond.		=== Location ===
			Can be done from anywhere - all responsibilities are online.

			=== Schedule ===
			Biweekly meetings throughout Planning Season (January-July).

			Other responsibilities are mostly asynchronous communication that can be done whenever you want, as long as you hit deadlines. Hitting deadlines requires lead time because the work is always about getting other people to do things, not just staying up late to do it yourself.

			Filling lead roles is probably the most demanding part, meaning the peak time investment is January - March.

			=== Experience ===
			Burn and Firefly experience are not necessary but knowing people can be helpful.

			=== Skills ===
			* Ability to deal with email. The only contact info we're guaranteed to have for volunteers is their email address, and we communicate with them en masse via mailing lists. Figuring out which roles need to be filled and trying to fill them requires keeping track of a ''lot'' of emails. The Volunteer Coordinator needs to be the person who follows up with people who forget to respond, not the person who forgets to respond.
	* Being on top of deadlines		* Being on top of deadlines
	* ~~Proactively asking~~ people ~~for things~~		* Asking people to do work
	* Writing in a way that is concise, direct, and persuasive		* Writing in a way that is concise, direct, and persuasive

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	** If you’re not sure yet, when should we check back?		** If you’re not sure yet, when should we check back?
	* Put the answers in the Leads Spreadsheet.		* Put the answers in the Leads Spreadsheet.
	* When our help is needed finding new leads, ask them to fill out the ~~lead role description form~~.		* When our help is needed finding new leads, ask them to fill out/update role descriptions.
			* Update the Volunteer Handbook.

	=== February: fill lead roles ===		=== February: fill lead roles ===

Presley: Volunteer Coordinator Timeline

2026-01-09T00:03:34Z

Volunteer Coordinator Timeline

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:03, 8 January 2026
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	== Motto ==		== Motto ==
	Always Be Thanking. Everyone you work with is a volunteer and can walk away at any time.		Always Be Thanking. Everyone you work with is a volunteer and can walk away at any time.

			== Timeline ==

			=== January: prepare to fill lead roles ===

			* Email planning@fireflyartscollective.org. Ask:
			** Are you continuing as a lead this year, stepping down, or not sure yet?
			** Do you need a co-lead or a replacement, and if so, do you want our help finding one?
			** If you’re not sure yet, when should we check back?
			* Put the answers in the Leads Spreadsheet.
			* When our help is needed finding new leads, ask them to fill out the lead role description form.

			=== February: fill lead roles ===

			* Submit an announcement to Communications inviting people to fill out the lead volunteer interest form. Name some of the roles we know are needed.
			* Start matching lead volunteers with lead roles.
			** Check with the people the new volunteer will be working with first, in case of any incompatibility.
			** Then ask the candidate if they’re interested in the position. Note that you can ask people to fill a position other than the one they were hoping for if it’s a good fit.
			** Then get the candidate to tell tech@fireflyartscollective.org what Firefly email name they would like.
			** Then give the new volunteer the Volunteer Handbook and ask them to do the onboarding steps at the top and look through the rest.
			** Their co-leads or cluster lead can give them their core or cluster-specific onboarding, and you may need to put them in touch with the lead they’re replacing for further info.

			=== March to mid-April: prepare to fill shift roles ===

			* Make the new Volunteer Role Finder and ask planning@fireflyartscollective.org to review and update it as needed.
			* Ask planning@fireflyartscollective.org to review their On-Site Volunteering Instructions page and update it as needed.
			* Ask planning@fireflyartscollective.org to update their core’s volunteer shifts on the website. If anyone doesn’t have permissions to do that, Presley can grant it.
			* Write any calls for volunteers that we want to be able to send as soon as the lottery opens. See the past versions here.
			* Coordinate with ticketing@fireflyartscollective.org as needed.
			** Ideally, the email that announces the lottery will direct people to the Volunteer Role Finder and explain that they can snag volunteer shifts now. This email is sent out automatically so they need to edit it in advance.
			** Will we allow people to sign up for volunteer shifts when the lottery opens or only when they buy a ticket?
			** When will we close online volunteer sign-ups?

			=== Lottery Opening Day (as early as April 15th) ===

			* Submit promotions emails/posts to Comms about signing up for volunteer shifts. Include the Volunteer Role Finder.

			=== Ticket sales open ===

			* Continue promoting volunteer shifts, especially for the cores that are lagging in volunteers.

			=== Mid-May to Early June ===

			* Core and cluster leads will receive DGS codes, which they can give to volunteers who haven’t gotten off of the ticket wait list yet.
			* Make sure leads understand how to use these codes and use them before The Purge.

			=== Mid June ===

			* Ticketing team will purge unticketed volunteers from volunteer shifts.
			* Announce that new volunteer shifts have opened up.

			=== Late June ===

			* Promote the last day of signups heavily to get a last wave of volunteers.
			* Close online signups.
			* Help Gnomes format and print volunteer instructions from the [[Main Page\|wiki]].

			=== Shortly before the event ===

			* Remind people to write down their shift info and take it with them.
			* Remind people that they can sign up for shifts and get instructions at Gnomes/Center Camp.

Presley: Start documenting Volunteer Coordinator role

2026-01-08T23:02:36Z

Start documenting Volunteer Coordinator role

New page

== General Info ==

* Sits in the Exec cluster of Festcomm
* Attends biweekly Festcomm meetings January-July
* Core email: volunteer@fireflyartscollective.org
* Included in the planning@fireflyartscollective.org mailing list with all cluster and core leads
* Included in the festival@fireflyartscollective.org mailing list with all of Exec cluster and all cluster leads

== Responsibilities ==

* Helping to fill core and cluster lead roles
* Clarifying and promoting shift roles
* Giving core leads access to update their shifts on the website
* Assigning leads to email lists (once they have a Firefly email)
* Fielding questions about volunteering

== Important skills ==

* Email skills. The only contact info we're guaranteed to have for volunteers is their email address, and we communicate with them en masse via mailing lists. Figuring out which roles need to be filled and trying to fill them requires keeping track of a lot of emails. The VC needs to be the person who follows up with people who forget to respond, not the person who forgets to respond.
* Being on top of deadlines
* Proactively asking people for things
* Writing in a way that is concise, direct, and persuasive

== Motto ==
Always Be Thanking. Everyone you work with is a volunteer and can walk away at any time.