Volunteer Information
Volunteer Information
So, you’re coming to ICON and you’re going to volunteer. Good for you! In appreciation for your efforts, you will be rewarded with cold, papery Con-Bucks! For every verified hour that you volunteer at the con, you receive 1 Con-Buck that you can use towards registration for next year and any other prizes that your volunteer coordinator can get their hands on!
Available Positions
Registration Desk - Take money and give out badges
Info Desk - Answer general convention questions
Consuite - Fill the bowls and keep it tidy
Video Room - Keep those tapes playing
Dealers Room - Concessions: sell T-shirts, etc.
Art Show - Assist with Art Show functions
Gopher - Multi-purpose support
Ranger - For experienced volunteers
Badgers and Bag Checkers - Great for beginning volunteers
You want to help? Let us know on your registration form or fill out this form:
First Name:
Last Name:
E-mail:
Perferred Volunteer Position:
Dealers’Room Consuite
Registration Info Desk
Video Room Art Show
Gopher Ranger
Badgers and Bag Checkers
Other (Please Specify)
Arrival Time
Select day you arrive Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
What hours will you be available to volunteer?
If you have trouble using this form, but still wish to volunteer, please e-mail icon@mindbridge.org with the same information; but remember to use the subject heading: Volunteer Registration.
Volunteering Position Descriptions
Registration Desk
Welcome to the AI Registration Desk! The registration desk requires volunteers who are able to handle large-trafficked areas and are willing to work in a fast-paced environment, especially during peak times. The main purpose of the registration desk is to ensure that the ICON con-goers receive their badges with maximum ease.
Generally, there will be several lines set up, one for “Pre-Regged” (Pre-registered) con-goers and other lines for non-registered attendees. Make sure you send con-goers to the correct line. Other responsibilities include handling money, checking IDs (Yes, this means checking all IDs) and handing out the correct type of badges. We have several types of badges, Adult, Minor, Sponsor, Staff and Guest. These badges can have any combination.
Some possible questions that may come up:
What happens if an adult con-goer doesn’t have an ID?
Do not give him/her their badge. Wait until you have talked to the Registration Head or Co-Head and find out the procedure.
What if they look 105 years old, aren’t pre-regged, and want to buy a badge?
Card ‘em anyway. It could be a crafty disguise.
What if they say they pre-registered, but there’s nothing in the computer about it?
Find a staff member. If they can’t help you directly, then they should be able to find someone who can.
What do I do if a con-goer comes up to the desk and asks me a question?
Answer it if you can. If you can’t, find a staff member or send them to the Info Desk.
More questions will come up. If you don’t have an answer, contact the Registration Head or Registration Co-Head. If you can’t find them, ask any staff member within reach for help.
Information (Info) Desk
Do you like talking and meeting new people? Do you like passing on useful information? Then the Information Desk is the place for you. The information desk is the spot that has up-to-the-minute changes in programming, video room schedules and other info like directions to room parties. Training is available by the Information Desk Coordinator. His/her vast knowledge will be passed down so you can assist the masses.
When you are done sitting behind the info desk, you will have gained knowledge about the convention and it’s surroundings. Other Otaku will look up to you as a convention guru and you can pass what you’ve learned on to them. Other responsibilities include data entry, directing people to the appropriate places and of course, good company!
Consuite
Congratulations! You have won a no-expense paid stint in the Consuite! Here you can enjoy and be a part of those late night conversations about which movie is better,Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith or Batman Begins? You Decide!! Along with being part of the conversation, there are also responsibilities when volunteering in the Consuite. You get the unbridled fun & excitement of making sure there’s plenty of snacks to be consumed by all, to verify that any who partake in our munchies have an ICON badge, and last, but certainly not least, you get the joy of making sure that waste is placed in it’s proper receptacle.
*Video Rooms
This is a great job for any fan who likes to hibernate in the video rooms during the convention. Primary duties include making sure that the audio/video gear and/or computer system runs with ease and occasionally changing out the DVDs and/or VCR tapes. To top it off, you can watch anime for as long as you want. It’s a great job!! Naturally, such heady powers require a few rules to keep things running smoothly for the con:
- Stick to the schedule that is provided for you. If you want to watch something else you’ll have to wait to do so on your own time, or better yet, volunteer when that certain anime is playing. Unauthorized deviation from the schedule is grounds for dismissal from this post.
- In the event of any problems with the anime or equipment, find the Video Department Head or any other staff member.
- Other Miscellaneous Duties:
- Picking up trash in the video rooms
- Rearranging chairs if they get badly in disarray
- Checking the water pitchers, and alerting the Bridge to order refills if necessary
- Keeping doorways, aisles, and hallways around the video rooms unobstructed
- Waking people who are sleeping in video rooms. (some people try to use them as hotel rooms)
- Stopping ‘Nesting’. This is when people use chairs to build themselves a little barricaded ‘nest’ area with snacks and sometimes blankets. Propping feet up on a chair is fine. Building a bed out of chairs is not fine.
- Resolving problems of people being loud, obnoxious, unruly, or generally using video rooms improperly.
If you are interested in volunteering for video rooms please contact icon@mindbridge.org using the subject heading: ICON Volunteering and your name will be passed on the Video Room Head. *NOTE: To volunteer for the video room, you must arrive early on Friday and be checked out on the equipment.
Dealers’ Room
Have you been thinking about trying a career in sales? Well, here’s your chance to try it out! You’ll be stationed at our illustrious ICON Dealers’ table, with a choice variety of items to sell to our con-goers. These items include ICON shirts for the current year, as well as shirts from previous years. Other duties include making sure the shirts are in order and handling money. Any other questions can be directed towards the Dealers Room and/or Concessions Head.
Art Show
Are you an artist or someone who appreciates art? If so, the Art show is a great place for you to volunteer. The Art Show has a variety of positions. You could be an Art show Assistant and get the inside track on how everything at the art show works. You can help artists hang their work and explain how people can bid on and buy art. You could even help the art show manager setup for auction or even get art ready to leave for its new home. Other positions needed for Art show are Cashier/Customer Service, Auction Prep, Check out/Check out runner, Set up and Take Down. For further information about the rest of these positions please contact the volunteers head at icon@mindbridge.org and label the subject line:ICON Volunteering or check the forum under volunteer positions.
Gopher
If you like to move around from place to place, then put on your running shoes and sign up for this position. The gopher moves around the convention, asking volunteers and staff who are stuck at their locations if they need anything. This can include such things as fetching drinks and snacks, relieving them for a few minutes while they take a break, running a much needed roll of tape, or delivering garbage bags to ConSuite. It’s the best way to see what is going on everywhere in the convention. If you want to see how this thing works? This is the job for you.
Ranger
So you are an experienced volunteer. You have been a Badger. You have been a Gopher. You know the ropes. You know how conventions work and want a new challenge. If you think you can solve minor problems on your own, but still know when to call for help, this could be the position for you. The catch? You must be pre-approved by the Head of Operations. Please send all inquires to icon@mindbridge.org and your name will be passed on for consideration.
Badgers and Bag Checkers
The Badger… “badger, badger, badger, mushroom, mushroom” (That song… it won’t get out of my head!). The badger is a great job for beginning volunteers. It is also a great job for people who just want to volunteer for a couple of hours and don’t have a specific job in mind. A badger makes sure all con-goers have their badges on when entering the ConSuite, Dealers Room, Art Show and Dance. Besides checking badges, you must also watch for bags entering the art show and dealers room. All bags must be checked at the Bag Check.
The Bag Checker will check bags (not purses), already purchased items, and cameras (if entering the art show) of all con-goers by giving them a claim ticket and placing the other half of the ticket on their belongings. The items are returned when the claim ticket is presented back to you.
If you are interested in any of the above positions, please email icon@mindbridge.org or check out the volunteer section of the forum.