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VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME PERSON SPECIFICATION & ROLE DESCRIPTIONS
Norfolk & Norwich Festival has a reputation for innovative, creative and inspirational programming. Our volunteers have the opportunity to fulfil a whole variety of roles across the Festival period. This document should help to make clear just what those roles are, and help you to decide which you would be suited to performing. Once you’ve familiarised yourself with what’s on offer, you can share your preferences with us in the ‘Volunteer Roles’ section of the application form – we will try our best to accommodate your preferences where we can.
In general, all volunteering roles will encompass being an advocate for the Festival. Whilst the different roles outlined within this pack each have their own particular needs and specifications, we ask that all Norfolk & Norwich Festival volunteers possess the following skills and attributes:
A positive and enthusiastic attitude
Good verbal communication skills, with an approachable and friendly nature
The ability to work as part of a team as well as using your own initiative
To be comfortable with the unpredictable and respond well to the unexpected
A good knowledge of Norwich
Willingness to learn
Excellent knowledge of the Festival programme (assisted by Norfolk & Norwich Festival briefings)
Commitment to and flexibility with shifts
A willingness to support Norfolk & Norwich Festival’s commitment to Equal Opportunities and its Diversity Action Plan
A passion for the arts
To be responsible, reliable, and punctual
In return, our aim is to provide the best possible experience for each of our volunteers, with the following terms:
Although we will do our best, we cannot guarantee you will always get the role(s) you would prefer; all volunteers will be required to undertake an element of Event Stewarding.
You will be based at various venues and key information points throughout Norwich during the Festival, and at other venues in the county where the Festival is presenting events.
You will be required to volunteer on a rota basis in the run up to and during the Festival (8th – 24th May), according to your availability.
Please read on to find out more about the various volunteering opportunities available at Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2020...
ROLE DESCRIPTIONS CONTENTS
Page Role
3 Production and Programme Roles
3 Event Steward
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3 Buddy Scheme
4 Assistant to Event Manager
4 Project Assistants
7 Spiegel Hosts
8 Main Stage Hosts
8 Festival Runner Assistant
8 Communications and Development Roles
8 Communications and Box Office Assistant
9 Development Event Assistant
10 Creative Engagement
10 Norfolk Open Studios Assistants
11 Creative Learning Assistants
13 Festival Team Volunteers
13 Festival Driver
13 Green Team
14 Finance Assistant
14 Officer Runner/Assistant
If the above roles have any specific requirements in order to be performed in full, they will be listed beneath the role responsibilities. For all roles described, we will take into account both suitability and availability when allocating volunteers. Volunteers will be asked to give a more detailed indication of availability by 27th March 2018, once they have been accepted onto the volunteer programme.
Whichever roles you wish to apply for, do remember that working with people can be unpredictable and you may end up doing something that you didn’t quite expect, but enjoy all the same.
If you have any queries or questions regarding volunteer role descriptions, please contact Ellie Reeves or Georgia Rees-Lang, Volunteers Coordinators, using the contact details provided on the final page of this document.
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Production and Programme Roles
Event Steward
This role is the backbone of the Festival and the volunteer requirements, as such all volunteers are required to undertake some Event Stewarding as part of their shift rota. As an Event Steward, you will:
Be a point of contact and representative of the Festival – you will be part of the Front of House operation.
Welcome and provide information to audiences, watching over the event, generally assisting with the smooth running of events and performances.
Interact proactively with the public/audiences as required, e.g. helping them find their seats.
Give out freesheets/sell merchandise at certain events as required.
Exit flyer at the end of performances (distributing postcards/flyers around venues and to audience members).
Put out/pack away chairs if required.
Assist bar staff with the collection of empty glasses if necessary.
Work with the Crew and Production teams in managing crowds at outdoor events.
Act as a Car Park/Coach Steward for relevant events.
Ensure the safety of the crowd/audience, e.g. in the event of an emergency evacuation.
Work outdoors in all weathers if stewarding at an outdoor performance.
Complete light lifting and manual tasks if you are willing and able to do so.
The audience’s experience of an event begins as soon as they arrive at a venue – so you are there to make sure this experience is as perfect as it can be!
Buddy Scheme Volunteer
This will be the 3rd year of our Buddy Scheme, which is an initiative designed to remove some of the barriers to accessing volunteering with the Festival. Our Buddy Scheme pairs volunteers with learning disabilities to an experienced Buddy Volunteer.
As a Buddy Volunteer you will:
Provide support to your buddy during the training and induction sessions for the festival.
Act as support for them during their volunteering shift.
You will receive Disability Awareness Training and support to fulfil your role.
Special Requirements:
To attend training that will be provided.
Open to returning volunteers only.
We also have a new initiative called Supported Volunteering, which was piloted in 2019 with City College and Stepping Stones, whereby Festival volunteers provided support to students with learning
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disabilities to have a taster session of volunteering – which will be supported by staff from the Festival and participating organisations.
Assistant to Event Manager There are limited opportunities available to be an Assistant to Event Manager. This role would be best suited to someone with prior experience of events and/or volunteering.
The responsibilities of this role will include:
Assisting the Event Manager in working on venue based performances during the Festival.
Ensuring the smooth running of events that range from classical music through to contemporary dance.
Assisting the Event Manager in the delivery of briefings to other volunteers.
Acting as an intermediary between other event volunteers and the Event Manager.
Liaising with artists, hospitality & venue staff.
Special Requirements:
In this role, you must be available for a full day (morning through to evening), covering set-up, rehearsal, performance and set-down.
Project Assistants
This year we have a number of exciting opportunities to support Festival projects and commissions as part of the volunteering programme. All the projects offer a unique opportunity for volunteers who are interested in a deeper level of engagement. Examples of similar projects from previous years include Reverse 2019 and Wayfaring 2018. The specifics of this role will depend on each project/show, but in general the role will involve:
Actively engaging with audience members and members of the public to experience the shows.
Special Requirements:
Many of these roles require specific availability for training and performance dates.
Below are more details about the projects that you could get involved with as a Project Assistant: (please indicate on your application form if you have a particular interest in a role).
Benjamin Vandewalle – Studio Cité
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Studio Cité is a pop-up village, a temporary cité in the city where different artistic installations/performances/interventions are presented at the same time for 2 days. In this role:
There are two roles available – ‘performers’ and ‘mediators’.
8 ‘performers’ (people with basic stage skills that will take part as performers in one of the installations). They will need to attend a training day led by Benjamin Vandewalle and one of his performers. The training day will take place in the daytime (7 hours) on Friday 8th May 2020 (Bank Holiday).
8 ‘mediators’ (people with communication and interpersonal skills that will be in charge of the instructions given to the spectators about using the installations).
Special requirements:
Need to have daytime availability Friday 8th May – Sunday 10th May 2020.
Need to attend a training workshop for 2 hours on Friday 8th May 2020. La Fabrique Royale – ZÉRO DEGRÉ ZÉRO DEGRÉ is an outdoor performance, a journey through the streets of Norwich where performers appear and disappear on rooftops of the city. The performance is a procession piece, whereby the audience follows the performers through the city. In this role:
Volunteers will guide audience through the streets and ensure safety of audience and crowds.
Special Requirements:
Need to have early evening availability Friday 8th – Sunday 10th May 2020. Gob Squad – Super Night Shot In Super Night Shot, 4 performers set out on a mission to explore the streets surrounding the venue and make a movie brimming with romance, revelation and action. There are specific roles available within this project:
1 x front of house person to make the hero’s welcome speech. This person should be a confident public speaker as they are required to motivate the audience to clap and cheer for Gob Squad when they arrive at the venue.
1 or 2 x assistants needed to help the front of house announcer to give out sparklers and streamers and organize.
1 x person to drive the car to the pre agreed parking spot near the kiss location and wait with it.
1 x person to re-park the car upon Gob Squad’s arrival back at the venue.
2 x people to take charge of costumes during the filming (need to be able to handle the public).
Special Requirements:
Need to have availability in the daytime & evening Monday 18th May.
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Need to have evening availability Tuesday 19th & Wednesday 20th May.
Hunt & Darton - Radio Local Radio Local is a live performance by artistic duo Hunt & Darton that sets up a brand new radio station, broadcasting love, straight from the high street, for one day only. The radio station is built with, by, and for local people – to tell their stories, share their news and play their jingles.
In this role:
Volunteers needed to assist the Project/Station Manager and the performance runners.
Help to facilitate games, activities, and contented creating segments.
Duties may include – helping in the jingle writing shed or the soap opera writing shed, giving prizes for the audience scavenger hunt, proving teas and coffees to the Local Legends in the green room.
Special Requirements:
Available for a training session on the Friday 8th May 2020.
Availability Saturday 8th and/or Sunday 9th May (the show is a 24 hour continuous performance from 12pm to 12pm – shifts of 4 hours).
Arrivals + Departures
This is a piece about birth, death, and the journey in between. In its simplest form there are two Arrivals + Departures boards. The public can submit the names of those who have arrived (been born) and departed (have died), as a way to acknowledge, celebrate and commemorate. Core to this public artwork is a series of free events that invite the public to engage with the work in different ways - to talk, sing, laugh, contemplate and make plans as we collectively figure out how we can better celebrate new life, grieve our losses, live well and prepare for the end.
In this role:
Volunteer stewards for this event will engage with members of the public about birth, death, dying, and grief and will need to feel comfortable with a range of potential emotional responses to these subjects.
Volunteers will gently invite the public to participate by submitting names for the Arrivals + Departures boards, based in the Forum.
Special Requirements:
Available for a 3 hour training session which will cover the boundaries of the role and will include: how to engage with the public, how to allow people their feelings without worrying unduly about them, how to sign post people towards further support.
Please note: If you have been recently bereaved, this role may not be suitable for you at this time.
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Spiegel Host
(Wednesday 13th May – Sunday 24th May) The Adnams Spiegeltent is a superb Art Nouveau style traditional travelling dancehall. Programmed with an eclectic selection of circus, music, dance, theatre and cabaret/variety acts by night, alongside a daytime programme too, the Spiegeltent is a hugely popular festival venue and so even has its own hosts.
These positions will be cast, as the roles are integral to the look and feel of the venue. As a host of the Adnams Spiegeltent, you will:
Be a point of contact and representative of the Festival – you will be part of the Front of House operation.
Welcome and provide information to audiences, watching over the event, generally assisting with the smooth running of events and performances in the Adnams Spiegeltent.
Proactively interact with audiences, e.g. helping them find their seats.
Put out/pack away chairs if required. Assist bar staff with the collection of empty glasses. Ensure the safety of the audience, e.g. in the event of an
emergency evacuation.
Special Requirements:
The role requires you to be in costume, some of which you may need to provide yourself. You will need to be confident and charming when dealing with the public. You must be happy working some late nights as part of your shift (the Adnams Spiegeltent
closes at 2am on Friday & Saturday, 1am on Monday – Thursday, and 12 midnight on Sunday). This role may include some manual handling / light lifting; you will need to be fit and able to
carry out these tasks.
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Main Stage Host
(Wednesday 13th May – Sunday 24th May)
This year we are opening a new venue in Chapelfield Gardens, alongside the Spiegeltent, and will be putting together a team of volunteers to help run and be the face of the new Adnams Main Stage.
As a main stage host, you will:
Provide information to audiences and watch over and assist with the smooth running of performances.
Be an active Front of House member, which includes proactively interacting with audiences, assisting bar staff when needed, and ensuring the safety of audiences/crowds.
Support the FOH Manager with maintaining the standards of the venue, before and after shows, and help keep the venue clean and tidy.
Special Requirements:
Wear costume fitting to the costume guidelines (these will be provided to you by the time you do your training).
Some manual handling, but no requirement to put seats out (unlike the Spielgeltent).
Shifts will finish at 10am, so no requirement for late nights (again unlike the Spielgeltent).
Festival Runner Assistant
This role will give volunteers a real insight into the kind of work that happens in the background to keep the Festival running smoothly. Assisting the Festival Runner in their daily duties, you will:
Perform tasks as necessary, such as collecting and supplying catering to venues, running errands, answering phone calls and loading or unloading equipment.
Navigate, and maintain contact with Festival/venues staff when required.
Special Requirements:
This role may include some manual handling and heavy lifting; you will need to be fit and able to carry out these tasks.
The Festival Runner role will start at 8am and be finished by mid afternoon.
Communications and Development Roles
Communications and Box Office Assistants
The Festival Communications team will need help both in the lead up to and during the Festival. You may be needed to help in a number of ways, for example:
Approaching audience members at free events to gather information about the success of the Festival and how it can be improved upon in the future.
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Distributing publicity information across the city.
Taking signage / banners and other publicity materials to Festival venues.
Helping with bulk mail outs from the office.
Making up packs with tickets and stationery for Doors Box Office staff .
Providing support to Doors Box Office staff just before events.
Helping to contact audience members in the event that a performance is changed, postponed or cancelled.
Special Requirements:
An interest in, or experience of, communications would be brilliant, but is not necessary.
Confidence with approaching the general public to promote and/or canvas opinion about the Festival.
For office-based tasks and box office support attention to detail is an important skill.
Development Event Assistants
Individual and corporate support is essential in helping us to realise our ambitions for our Festival and community. Throughout the year, the Development team hosts a range of events specifically for the supporters of the festival. These events are hugely important in enabling us to continue our educational and community work, bringing positive change and inspiration to the lives of local children and young people and produce a Festival that inspires and excites every year.
The Development team’s events are often formal in nature, and require a lot of preparation in the lead up to them. There are limited opportunities for volunteers to play a role in some of these larger events which precede the opening of the festival. These roles may involve assisting in either the preparation for an event, or helping at the event itself.
As Development Event Assistant, you will:
Assist the Festival’s Development team with the set up and take down (i.e. pop up banners, brochures).
Assist the Development team in greeting guests and generally making them feel welcome.
Take people’s coats and operate the cloakroom facility.
Pour drinks and serve prepared food to guests.
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Special Requirements:
The dress code for Development Event volunteers is smart.
Creative Engagement Volunteers
Norfolk Open Studios Assistants Norfolk Open Studios (NOS) is produced by Norfolk & Norwich Festival in partnership with Norfolk artists. NOS 2020 will run directly after Norfolk & Norwich Festival from Saturday 23rd May – Sunday 7th June. Visit the NOS website to find out more about the scheme: https://norfolkstudios.org.uk/
Norfolk Open Studios Preview Exhibition
(Monday 27th April – Saturday 2nd May - Opening Hours: 9.30 am – 6.30 pm daily)
(Installation Sunday 26th April, take down Saturday 2nd May)
The NOS Central Preview Exhibition is held in the Forum in Norwich. Artwork from many of the artists and artist groups participating in Norfolk Open Studios is exhibited, giving members of the public the chance to sample a variety of artwork being created in Norfolk, and give a taste of what the Open Studios scheme will offer. Volunteers will be needed throughout the exhibition in a number of roles as
follows:
Preview Exhibitions Hanging Assistant
Assist with the signing-in and the hanging/installation of artworks in the Forum’s Atrium. Take down artworks, oversee returns to artists and help close the exhibition.
Special Requirements:
This role may include some manual handling/light lifting; you will need to be fit and able to carry out these tasks.
Good people skills essential. Must be available Sunday 26th April, 8am – 2pm and/or Saturday 2nd May 3.30pm – 6pm.
Private View Evening Assistant (Monday 27th April):
Support the Central Taster Exhibition’s Private View in the evening, welcoming and signing in guests, serving drinks and assisting Festival staff with artwork sales.
Special Requirements:
Must be available Saturday 2nd May afternoon and evening.
Invigilator (Sunday 26th April – Saturday 2nd May):
Be a point of contact for the public and representative of Norfolk Open Studios - provide information to visitors and watch over the exhibition, ensuring safety of visitors and security of artworks.
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General assistance with the smooth running of the exhibition, reporting back to the relevant Norfolk Festival team member if there are any problems.
Encourage people to attend the event and to spread the word to others. Record the number of attendees and encourage visitor feedback. Operate PDQ machines for the sale of artworks.
Creative Learning Assistants
There will be several opportunities to assist with Creative Learning both during the Festival and throughout the year, at the Festival Gardens, as well as at schools and sites across Norfolk. This role is suited to someone with experience (or wanting to gain experience) in working with young people and the arts.
Take Part: Schools Support Volunteer (31st March – 27th May)
Each year the Creative Learning programme takes inspiration from the Festival’s artistic programme to create a bespoke line-up of opportunities for children and young people to engage with. These specially tailored opportunities include performances, workshops, master classes and Q&A sessions with artists as well as specially designed teachers’ packs. As a volunteer, your role will involve:
Assisting workshop leaders and artists in schools.
Assisting children and young people filling out their Arts Award Discover leaflets (see below for more detail).
Possibly driving workshop leaders, artists and Creative Learning team members to schools located across Norfolk.
Special Requirements:
Please see the special requirements for Festival Drivers on page 13 if applicable.
Workshop Assistant
This is an exciting new opportunity in the Creative Learning team, supporting Outdoor Arts Connect to deliver print making workshops in after school sessions
In this role you will:
Help to set up, pack down, support and facilitate community workshops for parents and children.
Special Requirements:
This role is only open to returning volunteers.
Volunteers will need to attend a safeguarding briefing before the sessions.
Availability weeks commencing April 20th and April 27th.
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‘Meet Me at the Festival’ Support Volunteer
For the last 6 years the Creative Learning team have been opening up the Festival’s magnificent Spiegeltent for free to community groups and organisations across Norfolk, curating an exciting and inclusive programme of fun, interactive, daytime activities that appeal to a wide range of the community. Regular event have included Bounce & Rhyme time for 0-5 year olds and their families, and The Afternoon Social with AgeUK, and this year the programme is even bigger. Your role could involve:
Assisting and getting involved with intergenerational activities including arts and crafts and music.
Welcoming visitors and proactively engaging with audience as required.
Assisting with setting up and closing down the events.
Collecting audience feedback. Special Requirements:
Previous experience of working with children and young people and/or older people is desirable.
Please note that it is not necessary for you to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS - formerly ‘CRB’) check, however if you have had one in the past 12 months and have signed up to the DBS update service, please indicate this on your application form.
Good people skills are essential.
Arts Award Discover Support Volunteer (Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th May)
The Garden Party at Chapelfield Gardens delivers many free outdoor events for the public to enjoy. During the Garden Party, the Creative Engagement team offers the opportunity for people aged 0-25 years old to earn their Arts Award Discover: an opportunity for young people to engage with the arts around them by learning about Garden Party artists. As a volunteer, your role will involve:
Approaching Garden Party attendees to encourage them to take part in Arts Award.
Encouraging Arts Award participants.
Assisting the Creative Engagement team in delivery.
Special Requirements:
Previous experience of working with children and young people is desirable. Understanding of the Arts Award scheme is desirable. Please note that it is not necessary for you to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS -
formerly ‘CRB’) check, however if you have had one in the past 12 months and have signed up to the DBS update service, please indicate this on your application form.
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Garden Party Tour Guides
This is another new role in 2020 which will involve acting as a tour guide for members of the public during the Garden Party weekend on May 16th and 17th.
In this role:
Volunteers will lead pre-booked audience members around the Garden Party from show to show – telling them about each performance and the festival in general.
Special Requirements:
Be free on 16th and/or 17th May.
Good people skills are essential.
Festival Team Volunteers
Festival Driver
Our Festival Drivers may travel locally and further afield. In this role, you will:
Drive all Festival vehicles (cars, vans, etc) to collect & drop off artists and/or equipment.
Be paired with another volunteer for any longer journeys.
Keep in close communication with Festival staff and report any problems or obstacles you may have, as well as receive any updates in circumstances or destination.
Be able to navigate unfamiliar journeys or routes following instructions and/or using a sat nav.
Any petrol costs or small expenses will be reimbursed.
Special Requirements:
You must have held a full, clean UK driving licence for at least five years. There may also be a minimum age requirement for driving certain vehicles.
With the potential requirement for lifting heavy equipment, you will need to be fit and able to carry out manual handling tasks.
Some experience of professional driving is preferred within this role.
It is essential that you are both reliable and have effective time-keeping to complete this role.
Green Team Volunteer
After their success in 2019 we are bringing back the Festival’s Green Team Volunteers to help out across Festival Gardens in 2020.
As a member of the Green Team you will:
Be an ambassador for and support the environmental goals of the Festival at events and within the volunteer cohort.
Act as a point of contact for audience members who are interested in learning more about our green initiatives.
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Help with litter picking in Festival Gardens during key events such as the Garden Party.
Help sell our reusable environmentally friendly merchandise.
Special requirements:
Interest in environmental issues.
Finance Assistant
A Finance Assistant will be needed on each morning during the Festival in the Festival office. You will:
Assist the Finance Manager with cash reconciliations each morning.
Assist with administrative tasks in the Finance department as they arise.
Special Requirements:
Must have good availability during office hours, with 10am starts (though not necessarily every day) for a maximum of two hours per day.
Office Assistant / Runner
Throughout the Festival and at other times during the course of the year, we look for volunteers to provide support within the Festival office, assisting with such things as:
General office and administration tasks, e.g. data entry, spreadsheet/database work, assisting with mail outs, etc.
Odd jobs e.g. archiving, preparing materials, assembling event items, basic DIY, etc.
As well as the above, during the Festival we look for an Office Runner to:
Run errands around the city as required. Distribute materials to various locations within the city.
Special Requirements:
For runner’s duties, a bicycle is hugely beneficial for quick and easy access around Norwich.
For computer based tasks, a general level of IT proficiency and confidence will be required (Norfolk & Norwich Festival uses Microsoft Office 2016 on Windows 10).
Availability both during and outside of the Festival period.
Once you have familiarised yourself with the roles and opportunities on offer please complete
the New or Returning Volunteer Application Form and the Equality and Diversity Monitoring
Form. Links to these can be found at http://www.nnfestival.org.uk/takepart/volunteer
The deadline for volunteer applications is Monday 9th March, 9.30 am
If you have any questions regarding role descriptions, please contact the Festival’s Volunteers
Coordinators
Ellie Reeves
01603 877765
Georgia Rees-Lang
01603 877751
