Volunteers are essential to any festival and the Mission Folk Music Festival is no exception. If you are interested in being a volunteer at our festival, please complete a volunteer application and return it to our office. Our volunteer coordinator will be in touch with you.
Time Commitment
• During the Festival weekend (Friday through Sunday) the standard time commitment is 16 hours; 3 of these hours must be dedicated to set-up or tear-down.
• The minimum time commitment for pre- and post-event crews is 24 hours. Year-round event work may count towards Festival hours. The minimum time commitment for year-round volunteers is 36 hours.
• Festival crews are led by Coordinators who direct volunteer activities in their specific area. Whether you are a returning or new volunteer you must attend at least one crew meeting to participate in the festival.
Placement Policy
•You’ll be placed on a crew where most needed. Your preferences will be considered but your skill level matched with the greatest need will determine placement.
• We cannot guarantee placement on the same crew as friends or family. The Festival is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and make new friends, so we encourage you to take advantage of this.
Volunteer Benefits
• Access to the Festival all weekend
• Volunteer T-shirt at cost
• Access to the hospitality area
• Meals at a nominal charge
• Access to volunteer parties (Saturday & Sunday night)
• Sense of community that comes from working with a team
• Memories to last a lifetime!
Festival and Volunteer Rights and Responsibilities
Volunteering should benefit the volunteer, the festival, and the community. We all play a part in the success of the Festival and expect certain standards to help make the event work.
Festival Expectations
The Festival expects
• To receive as much effort and productivity from an unpaid worker as a paid one
• Loyalty, enthusiasm and belief in the work the festival is doing
• Clear and open communication
• Respect for confidential records and organizational privacy
• Compliance with workplace health and safety,
• Kindness and courtesy to other volunteers, staff, artists and audience
• A positive approach to solving problems and issues
Volunteer Expectations
Volunteers may expect:
• To be valued and treated as co-workers and partners (not just free help)
• A suitable assignment with consideration of your skills, experience and preferences
• Clear instruction of your role and what is expected
• A work place that is conducive to work and meets health and safety requirements
• Be properly informed about the festival
• To have suggestions and contributions heard and acknowledged.
Festival Responsibilities
We recognize our responsibility to:
• Recruit, interview and select the right volunteer for the job
• Provide job descriptions and procedures for volunteer jobs
• Provide orientation for volunteers about the festival
• Include volunteers in decision making where decisions affect volunteers’ work
• Communicate clear expectations and provide appropriate support and supervision
• Recognize volunteers’ efforts in the organization
• To dismiss volunteers who prove unsuitable
Volunteer Responsibilities
Volunteers are expected to fulfill their given duties with enthusiasm, skill and good cheer in such a way that your coordinator and fellow volunteers sing your praises and want you to come back next year.
Unsuitable Volunteers
A Volunteer will be considered unsuitable when he or she
• Fails to show up for a shift
• Fails to fulfill their tasks and/or duties
• Carries a negative air and/or speaks negatively about the work, other volunteers, the festival or their life in general. We can’t afford negativity.
• Breaches the confidentiality of fellow workers or the festival
• Is impaired, drinks while on duty, or uses or carries illegal substances
• Abuses or exploits a position with the festival for personal gain
Volunteer Area Descriptions
Art & Import Market: Directing visiting crafts vendors to their designated area on the site, checking in with vendors
Bistro/Beer Garden: Selling cold beverages. You must be 19 years of age to volunteer for this crew. A “Serving it Right” certificate is an asset.
Box Office: Must be comfortable in dealing with money and able to deal with the public pleasantly and efficiently.
Café: Running an onsite coffee shop
Camping: Help direct campers to sites and oversee campsite for duration of the weekend. Help with the tear down at the end of the festival
Environment/Grounds Crew: Maintains of the beauty of the festival grounds
Information Centre: Providing information on schedule changes, site layout, community services, etc.
Front Gate: Responsible for accepting tickets and selling programs to patrons
Kitchen: Responsible for cooking and clean up to keep volunteers and performers fed
Merchandise: Helping to sell festival T-shirts and other merchandise
Parking/Traffic control: Help direct parking and the flow of traffic
Party: Assisting in planning and running the after-hours volunteer parties
Performer Services/Hospitality: responsible for check-in, transportation and lock-up services for performers
Promo: Postering, brochure distribution, and booths before the festival
Raffle: Selling raffle tickets on site
Security: Maintaining the integrity of the perimeter and access gates and general safety
Audience Services: Monitoring and tending to audience safety and comfort
Site Set-Up and Tear down: Setting up tents, pavilions, stage, and fences prior to festival as well as post fest tear down.
Signs: Helping with the set-up and take down of signs and banners on site and around town
Site Operations: Working through the weekend to ensure the smooth operation of the site
Survey Committee: Conducting on-site surveys of festival-goers. (Alternating years)
Tech/Stage Crew: Responsible for stages including lights, sound, and general staging.
Volunteer Services and Check-In: Assisting in admission of volunteers to site during the festival, accreditation badges and making volunteer’s experience at the festival a good one
Download Volunteer Form
Volunteer Application Form 2011
Please download the form, fill in the Word document and return by e-mail to the Festival office at mfmfs@look.ca with the subject line “Volunteer Application”
