INVITATION TO VOLUNTEER
We would like to invite volunteers to help at the Developmental Studies Association Conference which will take place at the University of Reading on June 28-30 2023. Your help will be immensely valued and highly appreciated. All volunteers with an interest in attending some panel sessions at the conference will have the opportunity to do so. Please see the note below from NomadIT, the conference administrators, for further details on acting as volunteers at this conference:
We’d like to invite you to be a part of the volunteer team for the conference.
Whether on the registration desk, advising on basic presentation technology issues or giving people directions, you will play a vital role in ensuring that the 700 or so delegates are welcomed to the conference and shown the best of the university, Reading and DSA.
Once Early Bird registration has opened and the panel timetable has been created, we will send you a link to a Google form that gathers your data and preferences. Among other things, this form will ask which events, plenaries and panels you are keen to attend. Relying on your preferences I will then compose a rota that allows you either to work at most of the events/panels you are interested in, or have free time to attend them.
Your help will be needed throughout the conference. Please see the conference website to find out more about the event.
The volunteer tasks will include:
– rotating shifts at the reception desk (usually one 2.5-3 hour shift a day per person)
– looking after the presentation AV of panels (very basic care: usually entails transferring files to the presentation computer from USB sticks, making sure the beamer has been switched on, that the speakers are working etc)
– ushering and guiding at the beginning of events and breaks and afterwards
– operating the roving mics during plenary Q&A sessions, running errands, helping with the Book Exhibit.
On Monday, 26th June we will train all volunteers on using the tablets for reception, managing the AV in panel rooms, knowing the way around conference information such as the timetable, venue etc. The training usually takes about 2.5 hours.
In return for your help at the conference, we will allow you full access to all the sessions when not working; provide you with tea/coffee and lunch for the days of the event, and give you an exclusive souvenir conference t-shirt. Volunteering will not only give you access to some very interesting presentations/discussions but working as part of a conference organising team is a good work experience – and quite good fun! A daily stipend will also be provided (amount TBC).
So, if you are interested and available to work as part of the team on this event, please get acquainted with the conference and the association via the links provided above in this email and email Winfred Nyokabi (conference@devstud.org.uk) to state your interest.
Looking forward to working with you!