Hello to our dear ConFest facilitators - from the Confest Volunteer Team!

 

What a huge Confest 2023! Hopefully you’ve had time to recover from the rollercoaster of emotions.. Remember, creating a 6000 strong (entirely volunteer run!) gathering in 3 weeks was nothing short of heroic and truly miraculous.

We consider all facilitators as key members of our volunteer coordination team and so are excited to reconnect with you, express our gratitude, and seek your invaluable contribution.

We didnt have all the email of the facilitators that manage volunteers - as such we made them visible to everyone. If someone isn't on that list that should be, please forward the email to them.

 

This year, we are focused on making the process as smooth and joyful as possible. Our goal is to create an environment where all volunteers (facilitators, core crew and festival vollies) all feel supported and cared for. We will strive to ensure that each department operates seamlessly, and we envision an ideal setup of at least one Facilitator and several Key Volunteers in each department. This distribution of responsibility ensures the workload is not burdensome for any individual.

Time and early preparation is absolutely key, so now we are 5 months away from the grand opening of Confest 2024, it’s time to set our gears in motion!

 

We kindly request your quick response - Facilitator Form

  • Are you keen on returning as a facilitator for Confest 2024? If not, please still answer the following questions based on your knowledge of the team, so we know the requirements. 
  • Do you already have a support team? What’s your minimum to be effective and what’s your ideal? 
  • What are your required number for volunteers? Please include your bare minimum numbers and your absolute ideal - it’s good to understand the realistic goalposts.  Please separate requirements for both set up, during the festival, and packdown.
  • Are there specific skills, talents, and capacities you’re after in new volunteers? Please prepare a short blurb about what the expectations and highlights are when volunteering with your team. (You can adapt the one that’s already found on the volunteer application form here ….). 
  • Please also provide an example festival time roster schedule so we are aware of when your busiest time periods are, so we can make sure your volunteers' availability match your requirements. 

 

This information will all be collated into what we will affectionately refer to as the "Department Cheat Sheet and Volunteer Requirement Schedule," and will act as our volunteer bible to make sure you’re as supported as possible!

We appreciate you responding as soon as possible, and ask that you provide your volunteer requirements by 16 December 2024. 

If you are stuck on any questions, or unable to meet that date, please let us know and we’ll be happy to support you,

 

At the Facilitators Conference, we initiated discussions on critical aspects that can elevate our collective performance and make Confest an even more fantastic event:

  • Supporting and understanding the capacities of our current Facilitators.
  • Recruiting new Facilitators for departments that lack them or require additional support.
  • Defining the role of a Facilitator within our organisation.
  • Establishing a set of knowledge and expectations for all Facilitators about our organisation.
  • Fostering networks of communication and support for both established and emerging facilitators.

These discussions are ongoing and, to maintain the momentum, we have secured the same venue for two Facilitators' retreats next year. One will follow Confest 2023 in May 2024, and the other will be held in October 2024 to pave the way for Confest 2025.

 

We are also eager to suggest enhanced communication within our Facilitators' community, such as monthly online meetings leading up to the festival.

 

Your dedication and contributions are pivotal to the success of Confest, and we are so grateful for your continued support! Together, we will ensure that Confest 2024 is an event to remember!

 

Please remember to respond by Dec 16! (or let us know if you can’t.)

 

Warmly,

Carly and Strawberry

Volunteer Coordination Team, Confest 2024