volunteer with pow

What we are looking for:

We are looking for team players with good common sense, who are reliable, enthusiastic, flexible, able to listen and share. You should also be able to recognise your own limitations, take responsibility for yourself and adhere to any health and safety instructions which are given to you by the POW! management team. But most importantly of all we ask that you ensure you commit to any shifts you agree to, as last minute changes can be very difficult to resolve and staff shortages could reflect badly on the festival. There are several ways you can get involved.

1. Volunteering During the Festival and at Events

Working to assist with the delivery of an enjoyable and safe experience for festival audiences, maintaining a high level of customer care and providing practical assistance both inside and outside the venue.  We normally ask you to volunteer for a period of up to four hours and to cover specific events. The main tasks include:

  • Helping the POW Festival Team members to set up the venue.

  • Greeting the audience upon arrival and assisting with any H&S requirements.

  • Checking tickets of those arriving and sell tickets on the door where applicable.

  • Selling tickets / merchandise/ drinks/ raffle tickets.

  • Looking after Artists in the Green Room.

  • Showing audience members to their seats and asking any questions.

  • Handing out and collecting evaluation forms.

  • Holding a donation bucket at the end of performances.

  • Helping to clear the venue at the end of the performance (this may require some light physical work e.g. stacking chairs).

  • In the event of an emergency, assisting the POW Thanet as appropriate (instructions will be given).

Additionally you will need to:

  • Understand, and be sympathetic to, the concept of International Women’s Day.

  • Ensure that you have an awareness of the local town layout.

  • Familiarise yourselves with other POW Thanet events taking place throughout the week so that the public can be directed to activities in all three towns.

  • Have a good knowledge of public transport around Thanet – e.g. Loop bus routes, train stations, bus stops etc.

2. Invigilation of gallery spaces during the Festival

An important part of the Festival is our many visual art exhibitions. We need assistance from volunteers to invigilate  some of the exhibitions in order that they can stay open for visitors. This involves working with at least one other volunteer to stay in, and be responsible for, the gallery space and greet visitors for a period of around 3-4 hours at a time. You will need to familiarise yourself with the content of the exhibition, the festival brochure and the local area so that you will be able to answer visitor questions.

3. Assisting with delivering posters and brochures before the Festival.

We need assistance with delivering brochures and posters to tell as many people as possible about our fantastic festival. We normally start to do this in late January/early February. This can be either in your own local area or outside Thanet (if you prefer). You will be given a small round of venues and shops to deliver brochures to and put posters up. This is an essential part of spreading the word about the festival and the more volunteer help we have the better! Even if you can only do a small amount we would be delighted to hear from you.

4. Helping with fundraising or administrative tasks in the POW Thanet office or from home

5. Researching and writing for the POW Thanet Blog