Volunteers

Ever wondered what it would be like, to help out with running a festival? Do you fancy enjoying a fabulous weekend, working closely in a team and getting to know new friends? Then sign up as a volunteer at Nishicon 2020!

Being a volunteer at Nishicon in short means:

  • You will work in shifts totaling 6 to 10 hours per day, on days that you’re available. This includes any possible preparations before or breakdown after the festival, according to your own availability;
  • You are expected to be present at your shifts on time, and for its entire duration. The volunteer manager is responsible for scheduling all shifts, and schedules will be handed out at the beginning of the day. You will receive them digitally one week in advance as well, to provide you the opportunity to comment. Of course, during the festival some last-minute changes may prompt the volunteer manager to override some shifts;
  • One week before the festival, a volunteer meeting will be held. Volunteers will be informed in due time;
  • Volunteers who did their job well will have their tickets refunded;
  • Volunteers don’t have to wait in line for anything at the convention;
  • You’ll get free food and drinks from us;
  • You’ll get a Nishicon 2020 crew T-shirt;
  • Gophers are allowed to cosplay during your shifts, on the condition that you wear your crew badge visibly;
  • Guaranteed availability of hotel rooms until end of March;
  • €15 discount on your hotel room (see below)!

Sign up form

The sign up form will be posted here when it’s online.

Hotel rooms

Volunteers are expected to arrange their own lodgings. Hotel rooms can be booked through the regular link to the Theaterhotel website: https://www.theaterhotel.nl/nishicon. Are you looking for a roommate? There’s a high probability that you’ll be able to find one among your fellow volunteers!

As a volunteer, you are also entitled to a discount of €15 on your hotel room. This applies only to hotel rooms at the Theaterhotel, as the meals included with the rooms are paid by us. This discount will be refunded together with your ticket after the festival, also for volunteers who have already booked their rooms.

We guarantee the availability of hotel rooms for volunteers until the end of March. After that, the rooms that have been held back by us will be made available to regular visitors as well. If you’ve registered as a volunteer and you’ve booked a hotel room, please inform the volunteer manager!

Gopher

Gophers are volunteers who perform various tasks, ranging from preparing a room for a workshop, standing on watch at dealer room or game room, or assisting during workshops. Gophers may indicate their preferences for certain shifts beforehand.

Steward

As a steward, you’ll ensure everyone’s safety during the convention. While your tasks may be a little less visible compared to those of a gopher, they are certainly not less important: you will perform surveillance duties, accost people on their reckless behavior or potentially hazardous cosplay props, and keep watch at the door during age-restricted events (such as the Hentai Voice-over). In very rare situations that call for intervention, stewards will summon Dekker’s own security before stuff gets physical. If you possess excellent people skills and confidence, then this is definitely the right job for you.

Supergopher

Some gophers are assigned to specific tasks, which come with more responsibility as well as authority, such as head of the information desk, bag room or first aid. These are dedicated folks who know what they’re doing.

Procedure for applying

1. Click on the link on the top of this page to go to the application form, and fill it in. The form will be put online soon.

2. When you’ve completed the form, you will receive a confirmation e-mail.

3. You will shortly be informed by e-mail that you’ve been accepted as a volunteer. You will also receive additional information with this.

Contact

If you have any questions regarding volunteering, feel free to contact the staff manager using the contact form.