Information for Volunteering

The Latrobe Valley Eisteddfod is run by the wonderful support of volunteers who assist the organising committee.

In order to volunteer, you are required to obtain a Working With Children Check card from the victorian Department of Justice. The check is free for volunteers. Part of the application process involves having your photo taken at a post office which is free for volunteers.

If you already have a card, you will need to update your details by logging in to the MyCheck site, and specifically tell them that you are going to work with us, by providing them with following details of our organisation:

Name of organisation: Latrobe Valley Eisteddfod Traralgon Inc.
Address:11-13 Breed St, Traralgon, Vic, 3844
Phone Number:(03) 5174 2335

Once you have updated your details, please advise us via e-mail at eist@lve.org.au and include your Working with Children Check card number.

There are a few exemptions for needing to obtain a WWCC card, which you can read about on the WWCC website, however you will still be required to tell us the basis on which you are claiming an exemption, and we need to record it on our files. For example, if you are a registered teacher or registered early childhood teacher, you are exempt, but we will require a copy of your teacher registration/card for our records.

All people who work for or volunteer with Latrobe Valley Eisteddfod are required to adhere to our Code of Conduct and any applicable policies and procedures. Click the following link to go to the page which provides our full Child Safety policy documents.

Roles

Further details will be added here shortly to describe the ways in which you can help out.

You may volunteer to help in the following roles:

Announcer - This role is for announcing what each performer will present, and at the end of each section you restate the placings after the adjudicator has announced them. This person has a lead role in running proceedings for a given 3 hour session.

Scribe for Adjudicator - This person sits with the adjudicator as an assistant, sometime taking on the role of assisting to write comments about each performer (although many adjudicators are happy to write the comments themselves). If the performers are presenting musical or drama items, the Scribe will be responsible to hand the adjudicator each performer's music/script just before the performer goes onto the stage.

Backstage Usher and Stage assistant - This person is responsible for locating/collecting the performers from the waiting area when it is their turn to be going on the stage. If the performer needs some assistance such as adding a chair or music stand or prop onto the stage, you will assist in doing this for them. For larger groups like orchestras/bands, you may have additional helpers.

Check-in desk - this role involves sitting at a table near the entrance of the venue, in order to greet the performers as they arrive, and collect from them any music/script that needs to be given to the adjudicator when they perform. You generally stay sitting in the foyer, until all performers have checked-in.

Ticket Box - this role involves sitting at the front entrance where the "ticket box" desk is placed, so that parents and friends can buy tickets to admit them into the audience to watch the people they have come to see. It involves use of a computer that controls a credit-card reader, but also involves handling cash to give change if necessary.

Door person - this role involves ensuring that the door between the foyer and the auditorium is kept closed while entrants are performing, but open between items. You ensure that everyone entering the auditorium has a valid ticket for that session. You are usually outside of the auditorium.

Convenor's Helper - The Convenor is the person overseeing the running of the Eisteddfod session, someone from the Committee. The Convenor's Helper would sit with the Convenor at their desk (inside the auditorium) to assist with such things as filling in certificates, getting medals/ribbons ready, placing the feedback critiques onto the collection table in the foyer.

Runner - The runner is someone who is able to communicate messages between the people backstage such as the announcer, and the convenor or the people in roles that are front of house. You may need to find performers that are not in the waiting area.

Canteen - when this role is available, it is for assisting the canteen staff to sell food/drink items, make tea/coffee if necessary.