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Anyone here volunteered at a convention? What to expect?

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Jun 18, 5:37 AM
#1

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Mar 2023
282
I'm doing 4 hour volunteer first day of a small event - what should I expect? it runs for 2 days (main event from the group is in janurary)
Jun 18, 5:47 AM
#2

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Jul 2023
6552
"Anyone here volunteered at a convention?"

I haven't.



𝓕𝓸𝓻𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓲𝓼
𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝔂.....

Jun 18, 5:47 AM
#3

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Jul 2013
10589
I never even been to an anime convention before, let alone volunteered at one.
Here is my Pixiv account of my hentai drawings.....

https://www.pixiv.net/en/users/104739065
Jun 18, 6:52 AM
#4

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Dec 2015
9299
Never been for con, but judging from other people experience whom I know whom volunteered in similar events, you'll just be around to check stuff, help organising, cleaning, preparing, controling etc. Depending on what will happen that day, that time and of the size of event. In yours probably not, if you would be in bigger one you could just end up in 4 hours ticket checking.
Jun 18, 7:47 AM
#5

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Mar 2023
282
Reply to Zettaiken
Never been for con, but judging from other people experience whom I know whom volunteered in similar events, you'll just be around to check stuff, help organising, cleaning, preparing, controling etc. Depending on what will happen that day, that time and of the size of event. In yours probably not, if you would be in bigger one you could just end up in 4 hours ticket checking.
@Zettaiken its a small minor event

i dont really mind anything like that tbh, I kinda need to do *something* less I end up scrolling my phone.
Jun 18, 8:21 AM
#6

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Dec 2015
9299
Reply to WeaponArchitect
@Zettaiken its a small minor event

i dont really mind anything like that tbh, I kinda need to do *something* less I end up scrolling my phone.
@WeaponArchitect I can't tell from my own experience but I'd guess around 60-70% of this time you should be doing something, while the rest you won't have anything so you'd just end up either scrolling [if you need to be stationary] or just walking around. But that's also hard to tell, especially that it might vary for the event itself, building complex etc... to many variables to even tell you.

Like as an example, usually medics are not that often working luckily but at Pyrkon I've seen them already 3 times rushing somewhere because something has happened.
Jun 18, 11:44 AM
#7

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Feb 2025
633
Depending on your role, it's like a typical service industry job. The amount of work you do ebbs and flows with the crowd size. Chances are you may not get to see the event itself until your shift ends. Best thing is if you ended up getting partnered with someone you can connect with during the ebb times.

Staff is also relatively lax due to it being a volunteer position, but that doesn't mean you aren't in for some hard work if you get a high crowd time.
Jun 18, 3:33 PM
#8

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Jul 2021
3258
I don't have much to add, sorry. My only suggestion is to wear comfortable shoes and have a water bottle within reach at all times.

I did volunteer at a game jam event once, and it was a lot of roaming around and occasionally running small errands. Don't think they cared that I was looking at my phone, but I guess game jam participants don't need much help and are super busy anyway.

Please report back afterwards, if you don't mind, and educate us lazy bums.
Jun 18, 5:12 PM
#9
Nostalgia Rules!

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Jun 2008
11997
Yes I have volunteered once, it really depends on what they got going on at the convention and what you're doing. What will you be doing?
Jun 18, 5:44 PM

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Jan 2013
304
I haven't yet, but I'm hoping to do it this year in October.

My (small) experience working in (small) events of other kinds tells me it's highly likely that it won't be as organized as it looks like for a normal event-goer and depending on your position, you might feel that everything that could go wrong, is going wrong. And it's a mix of very busy moments with very slow moments. Being friendly with fellow volunteers that work close to you helps a lot. It's probably going to be very tiring too. Whether you stand, walk, or sit all time, it's all tiring. But at least a 4 hours shift shouldn't be too hard and since it's volunteer work, they probably won't expect too much professionalism of you. I doubt they'll care if you use your phone or chat with people when you don't have anything to do.

Jun 18, 6:04 PM

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May 2011
942
Probably unbearable heat generated from the crowds cramped in little spaces, general sour onion and soiled dakimakura smell from all the unwashed attendees who regard deodorant as a creation of the Devil, some interaction with e-thots scrapping by for attention moolah, toilets being cruelly unavailable if you ever have the runs from the cheap takeaway you decided to eat and a healthy dose of existential misery.
Jun 18, 7:14 PM

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Mar 2023
282
Reply to Retro8bit
Yes I have volunteered once, it really depends on what they got going on at the convention and what you're doing. What will you be doing?
@Retro8bit not sure yet, the communication for volunteers is via discord (they handle professional stuff through email, waiting for a response. Event is in july so I have like 2 weeks)

It's a smaller one, the main convention they're known for is in Janurary (I wont say which one because it's in the EXACT TOWN I live in) - 2 days

They give free passes to people who volunteer four hours, so I plan on doing that (Short on money atm, but also need an excuse to actually get the fuck out of my apartment so why not be helpful)

Jun 18, 7:27 PM

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Jun 2016
3388
I was going to for a smaller con that I used to frequent, but covid killed that con. If they ever come back I'll volunteer for them.
Jun 18, 7:30 PM

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Feb 2025
633
Reply to sorcery
Probably unbearable heat generated from the crowds cramped in little spaces, general sour onion and soiled dakimakura smell from all the unwashed attendees who regard deodorant as a creation of the Devil, some interaction with e-thots scrapping by for attention moolah, toilets being cruelly unavailable if you ever have the runs from the cheap takeaway you decided to eat and a healthy dose of existential misery.
@sorcery Nah, it's a smaller event, and most people in those events are fairly normal. They tend to be an excuse for people to meet up with their friends.
Jun 19, 8:34 AM

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Mar 2023
282
Reply to MelodyOfMemory
@sorcery Nah, it's a smaller event, and most people in those events are fairly normal. They tend to be an excuse for people to meet up with their friends.
@MelodyOfMemory iv'e been to Youmacon (year after the Incident™) and even then it wasn't that way, even if that con has fallen from it's peak

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