Volunteers
Anime Boston volunteers are made up of members who want to help out with running Anime Boston but without the same level of commitment as a full Staff Member. Volunteers typically work for only a couple hours at a time. But they do have the possibility of getting their Convention Membership Badge comped for their hard work and effort.
Volunteer Application sign-ups will be open from March 23, 2013 until April 23, 2013.
What Do Volunteers Do?
Volunteers function as a support to the staff members. Here are some of the duties volunteers are responsible for:
- Line control.
- Room entry badge checks and clearing.
- Program Guide packet assembly.
- Making deliveries between convention departments.
- Other duties and tasks as needed.
Volunteer Types
Here are the different types of volunteer positions you can qualify for:
- All-Con Volunteers
- You must be 18+ at the time of the convention.
- You must have pre-registered for Anime Boston and be in attendance for all three days.
- You must pick your badge up at Registration before checking in at the Volunteer Headquarters.
- You must complete at least 14 hours of volunteering to qualify for reimbursement. Refunds will be sent to the mailing address you provided when you signed up for volunteering.
- You are entitled to food and beverages at the Volunteer Headquarters during the entire duration of the convention.
- You are entitled to crash space pending availability. Crash space is first-come, first-served, so apply soon! Crash space also requires a minimum of 14 hours of volunteer work.
- One-Day Volunteers
- You must be 18+ at the time of the convention.
- You do not need to be pre-registered as an attendee at Anime Boston; come straight to the Volunteer Headquarters. You must pay a deposit equal to the cost of a One-Day Membership. The deposit will be fully refunded upon the completion of 4 volunteering hours.
- You must complete at least 4 hours of volunteering to qualify for a One-Day Pass at the convention. Until you complete your 4 hours and receive your One-Day Membership, you will not receive a One-Day Membership badge.
- You are entitled to beverages at the Volunteer Headquarters only for the day you are volunteering.
- Minor Volunteers
- Minors at the age of 15-17 can volunteer as a Minor-All-Con Volunteer or a Minor-One-Day Volunteer. All of the rules for All-Con and One-Day volunteers still apply to minor volunteers as well as a few additional rules.
- You are a considered a Minor Volunteer if you are 15-17 years of age at the time of the convention. Due to Massachusetts child labor laws, we cannot accept applicants under the age of 15.
- When minor volunteers check in, they must have a parent or legal guardian present to sign a volunteer waiver. This must be signed at the time of check-in.
- Minor volunteers can only volunteer for a maximum of 8 hours a day.
- Minimum hour requirements for reimbursement still apply.
How to Volunteer for Anime Boston
- Sign up as a volunteer through our online Volunteer Application or at the convention at the Volunteers Headquarters. Please make sure you fill out the form in its entirety.
- You must have a valid mailing address to receive membership badge reimbursements.
- When you sign up, please indicate whether you are an All-Con Volunteer or a One-Day Volunteer. Volunteers who are 15-17 years of age at the time of the convention must sign up as a minor.
- If you apply online and your application is accepted, you will receive a confirmation email from the Volunteer Manager. Confirmations are not sent out until several weeks prior to Anime Boston.
- When you arrive at the convention, and after you pick up your Anime Boston badge, go straight to the Volunteer Headquarters.
- All-Cons volunteers must have a valid photo ID to pick up their pre-registered membership badge. They must also carry their membership badge at all times.
- You will be given instructions and supplies as needed to carry out your duties.
- After you have finished your assigned shift, immediately return to the Volunteer Headquarters and check back in. A member of Volunteer staff will record that you have completed your shift. You can then take a break or take a new assignment.
Other Things a Volunteer Should Know
- The Volunteer Headquarters is where all volunteer operations are managed. This will be your home base as a volunteer. This is where all our meetings are held, where volunteers check in and out for shifts, eat, and relax.
- A volunteer shift can range from 15 minutes to 2 hours. 2 hours is the maximum length of time that any shift will last. Workload is paced to allow you to rest, eat, and hydrate.
- Crash Space: Crash space at the hotel is only available for All-Con Volunteers. It is very limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Regardless of when you may have signed up to be a volunteer, please remember that there are no guarantees you will get crash space. A few other notes about crash space:
- You must be 18+ to be eligible for crash space.
- Crash space rooms are single-sex.
- You must work a minimum of 14 hours to qualify for crash space. If you fail to meet the requirements, you will be denied membership badge reimbursement, prizes and rewards, and possibly prevented from volunteering in the future.
- Crash space is literally "crash space". You may find yourself sharing a bed or sleeping on the hotel room floor. It is recommended that you bring a sleeping bag (if you have one) to guarantee that you will stay warm and comfortable.
- Crash space must be claimed by Friday evening of the convention otherwise, your space will be forfeited and will be eligible to be claimed by other volunteers.
- Other rules will be posted and explained in the Volunteer Headquarters and at the hotel rooms.
- Meetings:
- All meetings are mandatory and are held in the Volunteer Headquarters.
- There are two orientation meetings held for volunteers. You must attend one of the orientation meetings on either Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 7PM or Friday, May 24, 2013 at 9AM. If you can't make either of these meetings, please let Volunteer Staff know and we will brief you on what the meeting covered.
- There are also impromptu meetings. The exact times of these are last minute and are announced and posted in the Volunteer Headquarters during the convention. Please keep your ears and eyes open for such meeting announcements while volunteering.
- Gifts and Prizes:
- Every 4 hours you volunteer you get a gift (4, 8, and 12-hour mark).
- An exclusive Anime Boston T-shirt is rewarded when you volunteer 12 hours.
- Volunteers who go above and beyond the call of duty will receive special prizes from the Volunteer staff.
Staying Connected
Check back often to stay updated on the latest news and announcements for Anime Boston Volunteers. Also check out the following locations:
- 2013 Volunteers forum thread, stickied at the top of the General Forum
- Volunteers Facebook Group
If you have any questions, please contact the Volunteer Manager.
