Help Wanted!
Although it might at times seem as if cons just happen as soon as a bid is won, it actually takes lots of work to make it happen. Lots and lots and lots of work - and it is all done by volunteers.
We’ll be doing as much as we can (and then some), but we really do need your valuable help in making sure LX runs smoothly.
Each and every one of you can make a change in this big operation called Eastercon, and in the process meet some new friends, and get a look “behind the scenes” of the con. Take our word for it - it’s fun, it’s addictive, and if you are not careful you just might find yourself volunteering to run a future con!
You can choose to volunteer prior or during the convention, take a task as small or as large as you like, and select what kind of role suits your interests - we’ve got plenty of tasks to go around.
How do I volunteer?
Why, that’s easy! You start by joining the convention, and then use the e-form to tell us what you’d like to do. If you want more details about what kinds of volunteer work you can help us with then please keep reading. You are most welcome to send any questions you may have to , and we’ll do our best to help you find the right thing for you.
What do you mean when you say ‘We’?
Tamar and Bug will be looking after volunteers, before and during the convention respectively. Both of them have vast amounts of experience with these types of things are they’ll do their best to help you get the most out of volunteering.
What exactly are you looking for?
Here is some info regarding the different areas you can get involved with:
Art Show / Auction
Help set-up the Art Show prior to the con, assemble and mount it, help with the auction, and in general – get the art show up and running and help make the auction run smoothly.
First Aid
If you have a First Aid qualification (either full First Aid - usually from a 3-day course - or if you are an Appointed Person - 1-day course) and are willing to be called upon should a situation arise, it would be useful for us to know about it. You’d need to have a valid certificate or card with you at the time of the convention.
Gaming
Want to help with gaming at LX? Share board games and role playing games accessories? Run a tabletop role playing game? Participate in a gaming related panel? Help us with a live action role playing event? Tick this box. Or read more about Gaming at LX.
Green Room
The Green Room hosts the programme participants before their programme items. The Green Room’s team takes care of them, and ensures they know when and where their programme items are (and that they actually get there in time).
Newsletter
Gather tips, recommendations, programme changes, gossip, and anything that will interest our crowd of readers. And then distribute them throughout the con via our printed newsletter. In principle - make sure John (the editor in chief) is kept extra busy for as long as possible.
Ops
If something goes wrong during a con - it will find its way to Ops, where it will be seized, trampled all over, and hanged to dry till it is back in order. Be it a programme change, a missing panelist, a sea monster attack - there’s nothing the Ops team can’t handle.
Programme
If you want to assist the programme team - either before or during the con, in ensuring the programme runs as smoothly as possible (including the ever-occurring last-minute changes) this is the box to tick. If you want to volunteer to be on a programme item, then you want the Programme Participant Form instead. In particular, the Programme Team are looking for an administrator who can handle e-mail communications with participants.
Publicity
We can never have enough help with publicity! We need help to spread our flyers and posters in relevant places - conventions, libraries, book and comic shops, local SF fan events, and anywhere interesting and interested people hang out. Take a look at the Promote LX page for more information.
Registration
Helping out with the complex operation of getting everybody their badge and registration pack when they arrive at the convention. Everybody visits registration at least once so it’s a great way to put names to faces and jump-start meeting new friends.
Stewarding/Gophering
Being the right hand of the conrunners at the con, the gophers ensure things tick without too many casualties to the committee. The Gophers tasks are various. They make sure equipment is where it needs to be. They help us manage the crowd during big events. They are the protectors of order: Making sure only con members are in the convention areas, keeping food and drinks out of the dealers room and art show, and so on. There is always need for more gophers - so you’re all very welcome to join us!
Tech
Do you have a knack for electrical devices? Come and help the tech team in setting up and operating all the tech equipment, especially at main room events - sound, lights, cables and projectors are their thing.
