Volunteer FAQs

REGISTRATION

HOW OLD DO I HAVE TO BE TO VOLUNTEER?

In order to ensure the health and safety of all our volunteers, most of our volunteer opportunities are only available to individuals 16 years of age and older. However, volunteers as young as 14 years of age may register for the Crowd Pumpers team only. Please note that volunteers must meet the minimum age requirement by the date of the We Day they are attending.

CAN I VOLUNTEER IF I CAN’T BE THERE THE ENTIRE DAY?

In order to put on a successful event, it is important that our volunteers commit to the volunteering times that We Day requires. This includes both training and event—day execution. If you are unable to fulfill these time commitments, we encourage you to find other ways to get involved with Free The Children. To find out more about the campaigns Free The Children runs throughout the year and how you can get involved, please click here.

CAN I VOLUNTEER BACKSTAGE?

Although we do try to provide our volunteers with a variety of opportunities, we are not able to offer backstage volunteer positions at this time.

CAN I CHANGE TEAMS ONCE I’VE REGISTERED?

It is important that you register for the team you want to volunteer with and are able to attend the training for We Day. Because we work with so many volunteers, we are unable to accommodate any change requests unless a specific issue has arisen.

CAN I VOLUNTEER WITH A FRIEND?

We encourage you and your friends to volunteer together for We Day! The best way to do so is to register for the same event and team. Please know that spots are on a first come first serve basis and teams do fill quite quickly so we can guarantee that you and your friend will be on the same team.

CAN MY CHILDREN VOLUNTEER TOO?

Aside from our crowd-pumping team (which is geared towards 14-25 year old volunteers), we welcome parents and children who want to experience volunteering together. Providing your child is 16 years of age by the day of the event, they can register to volunteer for the same city and team through our general registration, which can be found here.

I SIGNED UP TO VOLUNTEER BUT CAN NO LONGER COME – WHAT SHOULD I DO?

In your volunteer confirmation e-mail there is a line that reads: If you can no longer attend please click here to opt-out from volunteering. Please return to this e-mail and the click the opt-out link.

Additionally, this opt-out link has been included in all subsequent e-mails regarding volunteering at We Day so you can refer to any of the correspondences we have sent you.

TRAINING & EVENT DAY

WILL I RECEIVE TRAINING AS A VOLUNTEER AND WHEN DOES TRAINING TAKE PLACE?

Yes, all of our volunteers are required to attend a mandatory in-venue training session. Training dates and times are outlined on the online registration form. Please ensure you can attend the in-venue training session before registering as it is highly important that all volunteers are confident and comfortable in their role.

If you have forgotten when training will occur please refer to your volunteer confirmation e-mail.

CAN I VOLUNTEER IF I CAN’T ATTEND THE TRAINING?

In order to put on a successful event, it is important that our volunteers commit to the volunteering times that We Day requires. This includes all training times. The training session allows volunteers to become familiar with their role and the venue, and allows volunteers to feel confident in their role on event day. Additionally, during the training session volunteers assist with final We Day preparation and event execution tasks which include, but are not limited to: folding T-shirts, placing items in gift bags and placing gift bags on each seat. We need all hands on deck to assist with these tasks so we appreciate your cooperation.

If you are unable to attend training, we encourage you to find other ways to get involved with Free The Children. To find out more about the campaigns Free The Children runs throughout the year and how you can get involved, please click here.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO TRAINING AND EVENT DAY?

• ›        Pen and paper
• ›        Watch/cell phone
• ›        Spending money if you would like to purchase Me to We merchandise
• ›        Fanny pack to hold your essentials
• ›        Lots of energy and a smile

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR DURING TRAINING AND ON EVENT DAY?

Please be sure to wear comfortable shoes and comfortable clothing. It will be a long day and your comfort should be  top priority. Some teams will have more specific dress requirements, the dress code for your specific team will be detailed in the Volunteer Logistics Packages (distributed closer to the event) and your Team Leads will provide you with further direction during training.

WILL MEALS BE PROVIDED?

Yes, all of our volunteers will receive a meal during training and on the event day. On event day, volunteers receive a lunch and snacks. Your lunch time will be assigned by your Team Lead. We try our best to provide vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free and gluten-free options – please be sure to specify whether you have these dietary restrictions when you register to volunteer online so we can take this into account when placing our food orders. We cannot guarantee the availability of these options throughout the day so if you have specific dietary needs we encourage you to bring additional food.

WHAT TIME SHOULD I ARRIVE ON EVENT DAY?

Approximate event day arrival times are outlined in the registration system and your confirmation e-mail, please know that these times are subject to change closer to the event. The official details about arrival time are communicated in your Volunteer Logistics Package which will be sent at least one week prior to training.

Please note that the arrival time outlined in your Volunteer Logistics Package is the official arrival time.

WHAT WILL MY DAY LOOK LIKE?

Upon arrival on event day, volunteers have an opportunity to stow personal items away and grab a snack and then all volunteers attend a pep rally. Volunteers then move to their assigned spaces for the duration of the day, with breaks and lunch provided. Volunteers are asked to stay after the event to support the tear-down process in their respective spaces.

WILL THERE BE A PLACE FOR ME TO STORE MY THINGS? WILL THEY BE SAFE?

Yes, there will be a guarded area for volunteers to keep their belongings. On the evening of training the Team Leads will indicate where this area is, but we recommend that you leave valuables at home or carry them on your person on event day. We recommend that you also carry anything you will need access to during the day. We cannot be responsible for any lost or stolen items.

WILL I GET TO WATCH THE SHOW?

We cannot guarantee that volunteers will be able to see the show. When possible, we try to give this opportunity to our volunteers, but we are looking first and foremost for individuals who are committed to helping us put on a great event for the sake of all the students in the audience!

POST EVENT

WILL I RECEIVE A REFERENCE LETTER FOR NUMBER OF HOURS VOLUNTEERED?

We are happy to provide reference letters to our volunteers! Please ensure that when you register you check the box indicating you require a letter.

Volunteer letters will be e-mailed out after each We Day event. If it has been more than a month since your event and you have not received this letter please check your junk e-mail. If you are still not able to find it, please e-mail volunteers@freethechildren.com.