Thanks for considering volunteering for the Alice Springs Beanie Festival. As I’m sure you are aware, it’s the volunteers who make this Festival what it is. Simply put, we couldn’t do it without you.
I have put together some information about what’s involved in volunteering in 2009. Maybe you are a first timer, maybe an old hat, but hopefully there will be something here for everyone.

Volunteers make the world go around, so thanks from the bottom of our beanies.
Sincerely

Jo Nixon

WHAT SORTS OF JOBS ARE THERE?

There’s a job for every one, every age, every level of physical capability, every gender and every skill level. You can sit, you can stand you can run around like a mad thing. You can do one shift or you can do hundreds. You can do them solo or you can bring a friend. We encourage you to try something you have not done before, if it doesn’t go the way you would like it to, we’ll find someone who can relieve you of your misery. Be adventurous, be unreasonable - that’s what the Festival is all about!

Tea Shop;

There are many jobs in the teashop and depending on how busy the day is, you may be asked to do one or many of these jobs per shift. Jobs include; Washing dishes, most important job!, Heating and serving pumpkin soup, dahl and rice, Making toasted cheese sandwiches, Buttering bread rolls, Making tea, coffee and milo, Serving cakes and biscuits, Collecting dirty crockery and keeping tables clean, Set-up and pack-up of teashop. At the time of filling in the roster please let the coordinator know if there are jobs you do not feel confident doing, or ones you would prefer (cake testing is Jo’s job and she won’t hand it over - so don’t ask!!) It is important OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY guidelines and food handing guidelines are read and understood prior to first shift on the teashop.

Barbecue

: Last year the BBQ was a huge success so we are looking for some black-belt-barbecuing-bodies to don their beanies and keep the masses fed and ready to take on their next workshop! This job involves cooking, serving, setting up and packing down. This is a great vantage point if you like to people watch and be outdoors. If you have an apron, please bring it with you. It is important OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY guidelines and food handing guidelines are read and understood prior to first shift on the BBQ stall.

Set Up:

This team is crucial – the success of the festival is on their shoulders. The work of the set up team will have visitors clutching their handkerchiefs to mouths at the visual splendour of the displays. Jobs include setting out beanie displays, setting up tea, coffee & cake area, merchandise, photocopying, tying, stuffing, poking and jiggling. Bring your friends along for this one as we need many sets of hands per shift and some are sit down jobs.

Family Fun Night:

This is our big opening and a special time to celebrate the beanies we love and adore!! This is a free night for all beanie lovers to enjoy, but we need volunteers to make it happen. Can you help set up, but better still pack down? Many hands make light work…..mainly moving chairs and tables.

Front Door Meeter & Greeter:

Important job this one; stand out the front and welcome people to the festival, hand out programs, encourage gold coin donations, count numbers through the door and note where visitors are from, encourage people to fill out the lucky door forms on their way out and keep an eye out for unpaid beanies bypassing the till. As we have grown we also need you to direct traffic in and out of beanie central, to the cash register and to and from the teashop, all with grace, patience and a smile or a laugh. Gold coin donations help us keep the doors open each year and go towards venue hire, materials and equipment used to get the festival running. Each year our costs increase as our visitors increase. This year we are expecting over 10,000 visitors over the weekend.

Backdoor Minder

: A quite job this one. It involves sitting by the backdoor making sure no-one enters or exits (unless in an emergency), quietly watching over the festival for suspicious characters (report to computer station if there are) and commenting on the odd beanie parade as the punters try on the 6,000 strong beanies. Do not leave your post unless someone is covering you at all times.

Children’s Corner:

Calling all of our creative Grannies or Grannies in waiting! If you love kids and can remember how to finger knit, plait, make a pompom or God’s eye then this is the job for you. You will need to watch over the children in the wool pool and at the chess set, tidy the areas and try and contain the screaming and any silliness. We expect good behaviour from the children in order to keep them safe but we also want them to have fun.

Gallery Attendant:

This very important person rules over the Competition Beanies – The Grand Poo-Bah of the Exhibition. Competition Beanies can be tried on with assistance from the Gallery Attendant unless they have a red sold sticker on them, in which chase DO NOT TOUCH. Beanies can be purchased now or any time until the exhibition closes.This is an important job making sure that the beanies in beanie central are looking happy, hanging nicely and have their swing tags attached. Any tagless beanies or beanieless tags please take them to the computer station next to the teashop and help Tony find a match. As you wonder through watch the crowd, look out for any suspicious behaviour and report to the computer station if you see anything you don’t think is good for our beanies. The Gallery Attendant makes certain the displays look sensational and that competition beanies are replaced once tried on. There is a bit of sitting down however we strongly encourage you to chat with people about the beanies and walk around the gallery checking that all is above board. It is important to show the public how to purchase their beanies, vote for their favourite beanie, not to take photographs, and not to try on any beanies that have been sold.  Any concerns about the beanies safety or behaviour in the Gallery see Box Office Staff, Araluen attendants or Volunteer Coordinator immediately

Packer Uppers:

This is the crack team who moves in once the festivities are done and dusted. There is certainly much fun to be had; musing over the events of the festival, wondering why some things were sold and others not, finishing off unsold cakes etc! This team sorts and packs unsold beanies for return to makers, packs up displays, does a general tidy up and packs up the tea shop

I AM NOT VERY FIT, CAN I STILL HELP OUT?

Yes, we have a variety of jobs that people of all ages and fitness levels can do.

ARE THERE ANY JOBS WHERE I CAN SIT DOWN?

The following shifts are ‘sit down’ shifts: Front Door Meeter and Greeter Backdoor Minder Packer Up (some sitting, some standing) Set Up (some sitting, some standing) Children’s Corner Gallery Minder (some walking)

HOW LONG ARE THE SHIFTS?

Generally two and a half hours but we love it when you do back to back shifts. Some shifts are as short as one hour.

DO YOU NEED MEN AS WELL AS WOMEN?

Oh yes! There are plenty of jobs for both genders so don’t leave your partner at home, or worse still, at Araluen where they could run wild and unsupervised through Beanie Central.

CAN I WORK WITH MY FRIEND/PARTNER?

Yes. Some of the shifts require up to ten people at a time so please, please, bring your friends and your friend’s friends!

CAN MY (GRAND) SON / (GRAND) DAUGHTER VOLUNTEER?

Yes, although we do prefer that our volunteers are 16 and older.

HOW DO I SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER?

A Volunteer Registration tent will be established at Araluen for the duration of the Festival. It will operate at the following times: Wednesday 10:00 – 5:00pm In Witchettys at Araluen Arts Centre Thursday 12:00 – 5:30pm In Witchettys at Araluen Arts Centre Friday 11:00 – 5:00pm In the Araluen Courtyard Saturday 10:00 – 5:00pm In the Araluen Courtyard Sunday 10:00 – 5:00pm In the Araluen Courtyard Monday 10:00 – 12:30pm In Witchettys

I WILL BE IN TOWN IN THE DAYS PRIOR TO THE FESTIVAL, CAN I HELP WITH ANYTHING?

Music to our ears!!!! This is our most sleep deprived period and we would love to hear from you if you can offer some help during this time. Call Jo on 0408 436 928.

HOW WILL I KNOW WHAT TO DO DURING MY SHIFT?

When you sign on just prior to your shift (at the Volunteer’s Tent) you will be given a pack that will outline what is expected of you during your shift. This will include occupational health and safety information and contact details if you have a problem.

WILL I HAVE A UNIFORM?

We have some lovely aprons that you will be given to wear when you sign on for your shift. We also ask that you wear a name badge, especially on Sunday so people can vote for you on ‘No Beanie’ day (see below).

DO I GET A FREE T-SHIRT?

If you have entered less than ten beanies and do three shifts during the Festival you will receive a free Beanie T-Shirt. All volunteers will also receive a discount voucher for all Beanie Merchandise including t-shirts, aprons, tea towels, bags and books.

CAN I EAT OR DRINK DURING MY SHIFT?

Following your shift you will be given a pumpkin soup voucher. You can redeem this at the Café inside Witchetty’s. We ask that you use your common sense when consuming food or drinks during your shift. It largely depends on where you are – probably not such a great idea in Beanie Central or the Exhibition - in fact, it’s your job to make sure people don’t eat and drink in these areas. Water bottles are fine.

WHAT IF THERE IS AN INCIDENT DURING MY SHIFT?

In the Volunteer Tent you will find an incident report. Please complete one as soon as possible after the incident and discuss the situation with the Volunteer Coordinator that is on at the time. We also have a feedback book that you are welcome to comment in if you feel the incident could have been avoided had there been ‘different’ procedures/planning in place.

WHERE CAN I LEAVE MY BELONGINGS WHILST I AM DOING MY SHIFT?

I’m glad you asked! The Volunteer Sign On tent is neither large nor salubrious which means our security is not great. It would be very helpful if you could leave anything of value at home or with a friend/partner whilst you are doing your shift.

WHAT DO I DO IF I CANNOT FILL MY SHIFT?

If for some reason you can’t turn up to a shift that you have nominated yourself for the most helpful thing that you could do is find someone to replace you. If you have tried that and failed, please telephone Libby on 0413 992 378 as soon as you know you can’t do the shift. Your fellow volunteers rely on your turning up or on us being able to fill your shift so it really helps if we/you have taken measures to replace you, but we do understand that ‘stuff’ happens some times.

HOW DO I GET TO GO TO THE VOLUNTEERS PARTY?

This year we are holding a Volunteer Party on Sunday 28 June from 5:30pm at the Gillen Club. If you have done at least three shifts during the Festival you will receive a voucher to eat for FREE. You can also bring a friend or a partner who can eat for $10.00 per person (Sunday Roast Menu). Your friend/partner will also need a voucher which is only available from the Volunteer Tent. The Party starts at 5:30pm at the Gillen Club on Milner Road (5 minutes walk/2 minutes drive). Come and let your hair down, take your beanie off for a change, share your funny stories with fellow volunteers and the committee and maybe WIN some great prizes. This is where we will announce the winner of the “No Beanie Sunday’ competition but you must be at the party to collect your prize.

DO I GET ANYTHING SPECIAL FOR VOLUNTEERING?

All volunteers will receive: Able to put more more beanies in Beanie Central A 10% reduction on Beanies, Baskets and Bushtucker Tours A 15% reduction on all Beanie Festival merchandise A drink voucher for the Gillen Club and A Pumpkin Soup (or Dhal) voucher All volunteers who enter ten beanies or less and do three or more shifts will also receive a free t-shirt.

WHO DO I CONTACT IF I HAVE A QUESTION

Email Jo Nixon Telephone 08 89522615