Give back and get involved!

Volunteer at FOSS4G in Boston

We are looking for up to 65 people to help us stay organized throughout the conference and ensure all workshops, presentations, and events run smoothly. Volunteers will be asked to attend a two hour training session and work a minimum of 12 hours throughout the conference. In exchange for their time, volunteers will have their registration fee reduced to $50 dollars (food coverage).

The purpose of the volunteer program for FOSS4G 2017 is to be able to provide need-based affordable attendance, with a high priority given to student applicants. We also strive for diversity at the conference and the Volunteer Committee will keep this in mind throughout the application review process.

Applications will be accepted until June 27th. After review, applicants will be notified by email if they have been accepted into the volunteer program or not. Volunteers must commit to working each of their shifts. Not showing up for an assigned shift will result in the volunteer being charged $800 (the full cost of the conference registration fee).

Shifts

Throughout the conference, there will be a series of 3, 4, and 1 hour volunteer shifts. Volunteers will be able to sign up for the available shifts that work best for them, but in order to receive the reduced registration fee a volunteer must sign up for a minimum of 12 hours in total. Shift assignments are on a first-come, first-serve basis once the sign-up is released.

Positions

Volunteers will be assumming different roles or positions for each shift they sign up for. A brief description of each of the positions we are looking for throughout the conference are below.

• Registration/Information Staff
  • Stationed at the registration desk: Main duties include signing in attendees, distributing name tags and conference materials, and providing answers to any questions attendees may have. Friendliness is a must. Knowledge of the local area is a plus.
• Conference Room Maintenance (A/V Tech)
  • Stationed at one of the 10 conference rooms: Main duties include supporting presenters in setting up their presentations and making sure they run smoothly, troubleshooting any technical issues in the conference room, and providing general support and guidance to attendees.
• Floater
  • Stationed at specific key locations throughout the conference venue: Main duties include offering directions and answering any questions attendees may have. May also be called upon if needed at any other station for extra support or backup.
• Workshop Maintenance
  • Stationed at the workshop location on Monday, August 14th and/or Tuesday, August 15th: Main duties include providing guidance and directions to workshop attendees as to the location of their workshop and helping presenters troubleshoot any technical issues.
• Evening Social Event Guide/Ticket Collector
  • Stationed between the conference and the extracurricular event or at the event itself: Main duties include providing directions to help attendees get to the event and collecting tickets at the start of the event.
• Setup/Take Down Staff
  • Stationed at the conference or workshop venue: Main Duties include working before/after the event to help properly set up or put away everything.