Volunteering 2024

[Leyrulion]

So there's almost two levels of recycling crew?

Those whose place is with a charity and those who have a recommendation?

How do the charity place people find out about it?

[clarkete]

19 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

Neither did I. To the best of my knowledge charities get paid on our behalf as well, but it's unclear as we're not associated with any particular charity. We don't pay a deposit or get asked for any donation.

The more info I get the luckier I feel about my position at Glastonbury.

I always thought you were crew, rather than a charity volunteer? 

[stuie]

Can any other recycling crew confirm that you pay to volunteer at the festival? 

I'm even more confused now why these positions are so sought after at the festival and require personal recommendations to be accepted. 

Come and join Oxfam? 

[Skip997]

9 minutes ago, clarkete said:

I always thought you were crew, rather than a charity volunteer? 

Maybe I'm volunteer crew, maybe I'm a charity volunteer. It's really not that clear, at least to me, but then again I've never bothered asking.

[dondo]

48 minutes ago, stuie said:

Can any other recycling crew confirm that you pay to volunteer at the festival? 

I'm even more confused now why these positions are so sought after at the festival and require personal recommendations to be accepted. 

Come and join Oxfam? 

I go direct and never paid anything other than a deposit which I got back.

I'd always assumed that the charity volunteers didn't get all the deposit back as some of that goes back to the respective charities as a donation/fundraiser. But from what's posted above that is partly right with the donation being over and above the refundable deposit. 

[stuie]

3 minutes ago, dondo said:

I go direct and never paid anything other than a deposit which I got back.

I'd always assumed that the charity volunteers didn't get all the deposit back as some of that goes back to the respective charities as a donation/fundraiser. But from what's posted above that is partly right with the donation being over and above the refundable deposit. 

I’m still shocked this isn’t the case for all volunteers! Paying to recycle seems nuts to me. 

This year my Oxfam deposit will be 50% of the ticket face value and I’ll get it all back. 

[giantkatestacks]

1 hour ago, stuie said:

Can any other recycling crew confirm that you pay to volunteer at the festival? 

I'm even more confused now why these positions are so sought after at the festival and require personal recommendations to be accepted. 

Come and join Oxfam? 

No, we don't pay - we can donate a portion of our full deposit back in July if we want but we don't pay (a different recycling charity). There is an admin fee but its small. Plus our shifts are the same as last year.

I would jump ship to regular non charity if I was you - just drop an email to Fiona asking to go on the waitlist for that.

[deepkittycaz]

I'm shocked reading all this. Definitely sounds like the charity have either made a terrible mistake or are really trying it on.

For Lockups, we pay a refundable deposit, and the charity get paid by the festival for our time.

[stuie]

10 minutes ago, deepkittycaz said:

I'm shocked reading all this. Definitely sounds like the charity have either made a terrible mistake or are really trying it on.

For Lockups, we pay a refundable deposit, and the charity get paid by the festival for our time.

This is also the case for Oxfam, Wateraid, Greenpeace and Shelter volunteers so I don’t understand the disparity with recycling crew. 

I really think this needs to be flagged to GFL because it seems that the recycling organisation(s) have gone off the page and are taking advantage of the popularity of the festival. 

[Leyrulion]

Keep thinking about this, it's actually a bit gross that charities are enforcing a payment of over £350 to attend, and making you work for it. 

Obligating a payment to the charity makes it a bit more potentially legally interesting as well.

Recieving the payment directly means the charity much more explicitly benefit from the volunteer, so I wonder if it might meet the test of "mutuality of obligation" under employment law. If both sides are clearly receiving a benefit* then you might be able to say an employment contract exists. One side gets £350, the other access to a festival worth £350. That would open them up to having to pay the minimum wage and provide all other employment rights.

So I'm very surprised if this is true that they're operating like that.

 

*It's not enough just to provide services to a charity for an employment contract to exist,it's got to be a 2 way relationship . I think that's how Oxfam and all the others operate are able to operate because the payment comes from the festival not the volunteer. 

 

[Festival Sounds Podcast]

15 hours ago, Harebell said:

Had an email from my charity and we have to pay £505 now and you should get a refund of £150 if you complete all your shifts. So the total cost to volunteer will be £355 (same as if I bought a ticket!). We have to be on site from Tues 25th June to Mon 1st July and only get one day off now?? 6 hour shifts. 

 

I love Glastonbury and have enjoyed volunteering for the recycling crew (on behalf of 2 different charities over 3 years) but this just seems crazy to me, very expensive and I personally find the work quite hard on my body. My team leader last year was also a bit of an arsy slave driver, which has put me off a bit too. I guess I won't be going this year then...

Im really shocked reading this. This isn’t the right way to behave towards volunteers

[JezzaBelle]

On 11/20/2023 at 11:41 AM, Nick_ said:

Do all of the volunteer positions require good physical health and endurance?  I'm thinking I would probably struggle to both do a shift and be at some performances on the same day.

You're on your feet for the best part of most shifts but you you get 2 days out of 5 free to explore.

My mindset is that I go to volunteer, and any sets I get to see is a bonus.

I got lucky with a ticket this year but will still try to get a place with Oxfam and return my ticket if I get lucky.

Shifts are a big part of the fun for me.

[stuie]

14 hours ago, Leyrulion said:

Keep thinking about this, it's actually a bit gross that charities are enforcing a payment of over £350 to attend, and making you work for it. 

Obligating a payment to the charity makes it a bit more potentially legally interesting as well.

Recieving the payment directly means the charity much more explicitly benefit from the volunteer, so I wonder if it might meet the test of "mutuality of obligation" under employment law. If both sides are clearly receiving a benefit* then you might be able to say an employment contract exists. One side gets £350, the other access to a festival worth £350. That would open them up to having to pay the minimum wage and provide all other employment rights.

So I'm very surprised if this is true that they're operating like that.

 

*It's not enough just to provide services to a charity for an employment contract to exist,it's got to be a 2 way relationship . I think that's how Oxfam and all the others operate are able to operate because the payment comes from the festival not the volunteer. 

 

8 hours ago, Festival Sounds Podcast said:

Im really shocked reading this. This isn’t the right way to behave towards volunteers

After sleeping on it, I think this needs raising with the festival.  I fully understand if the people on those teams don't wish to jeopardise their positions, so it's better that it's someone independent. 

 

[giantkatestacks]

I think its a mistake and they have it the wrong way round in the email. Must be. 

[incident]

9 minutes ago, giantkatestacks said:

I think its a mistake and they have it the wrong way round in the email. Must be. 

Tbh even if (as is likely) they've got the numbers the wrong way wrong - it still feels wrong that there's a mandatory "donation" in the first place given every other volunteer role doesn't require that.

[Leyrulion]

2 hours ago, incident said:

Tbh even if (as is likely) they've got the numbers the wrong way wrong - it still feels wrong that there's a mandatory "donation" in the first place given every other volunteer role doesn't require that.

It's not a volunteer role really if you have to pay.

[Johnnyseven]

Just got an email saying Shelter will no longer be providing workers for bars at the festival.

Avalon Bars will be recruiting themselves instead, register interest via the website address in the screenshot.

Edited December 13, 2023 by Johnnyseven
More information

[Crazyfool01]

4 minutes ago, Johnnyseven said:

Just got an email saying Shelter no longer doing the bars at the festival.

@waltere this you ? 

[Talcroft]

They'll be selecting by ballot... All of a sudden my nice guaranteed in has disappeared. I am heartbroken! 

[Crazyfool01]

3 minutes ago, Talcroft said:

They'll be selecting by ballot... All of a sudden my nice guaranteed in has disappeared. I am heartbroken! 

when is that happening ?  hopefully many can try for other charities understand the shifts are different though 

[Talcroft]

5 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

when is that happening ?  hopefully many can try for other charities understand the shifts are different though 

Email says expressions of interest close in Jan then ballot will be soon after. So at least we know before other volunteering deadlines/resale. But still. Suddenly feel hard done to - worked the proverbials off the last two years, don't have many pals trying for tickets any more, increasingly feels like the universe doesn't want me there.

[Crazyfool01]

1 minute ago, Talcroft said:

Email says expressions of interest close in Jan then ballot will be soon after. So at least we know before other volunteering deadlines/resale. But still. Suddenly feel hard done to - worked the proverbials off the last two years, don't have many pals trying for tickets any more, increasingly feels like the universe doesn't want me there.

yeah thats sh*t ... dont forget the resale teams on here , competitions and Oxfam are often recruiting pretty late on if that suits you 

[Talcroft]

1 minute ago, Crazyfool01 said:

yeah thats sh*t ... dont forget the resale teams on here , competitions and Oxfam are often recruiting pretty late on if that suits you 

Thanks. Must stop lurking and post more in order to make resale friends!

[Crazyfool01]

3 minutes ago, Talcroft said:

Thanks. Must stop lurking and post more in order to make resale friends!

makes a difference 🙂 good luck in the ballot to start 

[Leyrulion]

Not massively surprising given the well known problems they've had for the past couple of years. Firstly the late change to mandate coach travel from Bristol in 22, and then overselling places in 23. 

Details added to the spreadsheet.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JAcEC1skr5YsqgyIYUwy6_1HSRh0Fw_Ud0RkQaQIPkM/edit?usp=drivesdk