Tutorial Volunteering and misc items
Hey guys, I see in the tutorial sign-up sheet that it reads: "Note: these volunteer slots are NOT the same as the tutorial rooms." I put myself on four slots that I'd like to volunteer for support and greet. Out of these, I need to arrange to have specifically 3 of those sessions as I also payed to take the tutorial full length and I'd not want to be assigned to a different session, I figured since I'll be there I might as well help. Would it be better for me to not sign up in the sheet, or to let it be and figure it out the day of? Ewa, thanks for adding the idea of Newcomer Orientation / Breakfast, I think it will be amazing. I'd also like to suggest either Rami, myself or anyone else is near the registration desk in the early morning during conference days with a big sign that reads "Volunteer check-in". Mainly just as a rally point for people that signed up; during previous years, people that signed up as volunteers (speaking out of experience) didn't have a flag to rally behind, and I was mainly just hunting for finding Yarko :). An alternate option for this would be to fold that into the registration and make sure the volunteers at the registration desk know who/where to send new volunteers to. Another question would be, what are any open items that we have? I had not been active in the emails here because of health reasons, but I'm able to dedicate time from now on and help us make things run as they should. Best regrads, -- Jamiel Almeida
On Fri, Mar 3, 2017 at 12:18 PM, Jamiel Almeida <slashfoo@gmail.com> wrote:
Hey guys,
I see in the tutorial sign-up sheet that it reads: "Note: these volunteer slots are NOT the same as the tutorial rooms." I put myself on four slots that I'd like to volunteer for support and greet.
Out of these, I need to arrange to have specifically 3 of those sessions as I also payed to take the tutorial full length and I'd not want to be assigned to a different session, I figured since I'll be there I might as well help. Would it be better for me to not sign up in the sheet, or to let it be and figure it out the day of?
We can just leave it for the day of. Worst case, I can step in or Betsy.
Ewa, thanks for adding the idea of Newcomer Orientation / Breakfast, I think it will be amazing.
I'd also like to suggest either Rami, myself or anyone else is near the registration desk in the early morning during conference days with a big sign that reads "Volunteer check-in".
Mainly just as a rally point for people that signed up; during previous years, people that signed up as volunteers (speaking out of experience) didn't have a flag to rally behind, and I was mainly just hunting for finding Yarko :). An alternate option for this would be to fold that into the registration and make sure the volunteers at the registration desk know who/where to send new volunteers to.
Good idea! Since registration is already very crowded with 3300 people checking in, it may be better for volunteers to meet else where. This year the staff office will be in room A103-104, which is much closer to the reg area than where we were in 2016. I think if we place two tables outside of the staff office it will be better. See my mocked up map: [image: Inline image 1] One main concern for me is us telling volunteers to go there but no one staffing the tables. We can have a small sign to put on the table that if no one is there, they should go into the staff room and ask for me. Thoughts on this?
My idea with the tables are for rallying up the volunteers that show up the day of with little info on what to do, I'm sure the people at that table will be bored a few hours into the conference. So at that point we could either put the sign there, or fold it into registration later. The utility for this is basically so that volunteers that show up fresh/new to the whole deal, that put their names on the excell sheets and half-read the instructions have somewhere to anchor to at the beginning of the day when only early risers are at the tables. We could also just replace the whole idea with a big "catchy" sign that reads "Volunteering? Go to the staff room". Another idea that I have seen at another family friendly conference (or maybe it was at pycon in a previous year? don't remember) was that the volunteers wore (those that wanted to, anyways) Dr. Seuss, "Cat in the Hat" hats so that they could be easily identified. I like the idea of wearing something distinct so that people that need help can have an easier way getting it. These are just random ideas to make the whole thing a bit more fun/accessible. On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 2:59 PM, Ewa Jodlowska <ewa@python.org> wrote:
On Fri, Mar 3, 2017 at 12:18 PM, Jamiel Almeida <slashfoo@gmail.com> wrote:
Hey guys,
I see in the tutorial sign-up sheet that it reads: "Note: these volunteer slots are NOT the same as the tutorial rooms." I put myself on four slots that I'd like to volunteer for support and greet.
Out of these, I need to arrange to have specifically 3 of those sessions as I also payed to take the tutorial full length and I'd not want to be assigned to a different session, I figured since I'll be there I might as well help. Would it be better for me to not sign up in the sheet, or to let it be and figure it out the day of?
We can just leave it for the day of. Worst case, I can step in or Betsy.
Ewa, thanks for adding the idea of Newcomer Orientation / Breakfast, I think it will be amazing.
I'd also like to suggest either Rami, myself or anyone else is near the registration desk in the early morning during conference days with a big sign that reads "Volunteer check-in".
Mainly just as a rally point for people that signed up; during previous years, people that signed up as volunteers (speaking out of experience) didn't have a flag to rally behind, and I was mainly just hunting for finding Yarko :). An alternate option for this would be to fold that into the registration and make sure the volunteers at the registration desk know who/where to send new volunteers to.
Good idea!
Since registration is already very crowded with 3300 people checking in, it may be better for volunteers to meet else where.
This year the staff office will be in room A103-104, which is much closer to the reg area than where we were in 2016. I think if we place two tables outside of the staff office it will be better. See my mocked up map:
[image: Inline image 1]
One main concern for me is us telling volunteers to go there but no one staffing the tables. We can have a small sign to put on the table that if no one is there, they should go into the staff room and ask for me.
Thoughts on this?
-- Jamiel Almeida
On Tue, Mar 7, 2017 at 12:49 AM, Jamiel Almeida <slashfoo@gmail.com> wrote:
My idea with the tables are for rallying up the volunteers that show up the day of with little info on what to do, I'm sure the people at that table will be bored a few hours into the conference.
So at that point we could either put the sign there, or fold it into registration later.
The utility for this is basically so that volunteers that show up fresh/new to the whole deal, that put their names on the excell sheets and half-read the instructions have somewhere to anchor to at the beginning of the day when only early risers are at the tables.
We could also just replace the whole idea with a big "catchy" sign that reads "Volunteering? Go to the staff room".
I am not sure which option would work best. On one hand I think the staff room is a good place but on the other hand, it can be an intense place to walk into if it is busy...which it is most of the time :) We don't always have people in there to welcome and assist volunteers either...
Another idea that I have seen at another family friendly conference (or maybe it was at pycon in a previous year? don't remember) was that the volunteers wore (those that wanted to, anyways) Dr. Seuss, "Cat in the Hat" hats so that they could be easily identified. I like the idea of wearing something distinct so that people that need help can have an easier way getting it.
It was at PyCon. Rami kept the concept alive for a while. This was sort of replaced by the staff t-shirts. Maybe this year we can add something that says "questions? ask me"? The hat idea is nice because it is easy to spot in a crowd, but I know everyone will not wear it... I know I wouldn't because my head would be over heated by 9am :)
On Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 16:24, Ewa Jodlowska wrote:
On Tue, Mar 7, 2017 at 12:49 AM, Jamiel Almeida <slashfoo@gmail.com (mailto:slashfoo@gmail.com)> wrote:
My idea with the tables are for rallying up the volunteers that show up the day of with little info on what to do, I'm sure the people at that table will be bored a few hours into the conference.
So at that point we could either put the sign there, or fold it into registration later.
The utility for this is basically so that volunteers that show up fresh/new to the whole deal, that put their names on the excell sheets and half-read the instructions have somewhere to anchor to at the beginning of the day when only early risers are at the tables.
We could also just replace the whole idea with a big "catchy" sign that reads "Volunteering? Go to the staff room". I am not sure which option would work best. On one hand I think the staff room is a good place but on the other hand, it can be an intense place to walk into if it is busy...which it is most of the time :) We don't always have people in there to welcome and assist volunteers either...
We could do both? Have tables for the first couple of hours and then put the sign up by registration?
Another idea that I have seen at another family friendly conference (or maybe it was at pycon in a previous year? don't remember) was that the volunteers wore (those that wanted to, anyways) Dr. Seuss, "Cat in the Hat" hats so that they could be easily identified. I like the idea of wearing something distinct so that people that need help can have an easier way getting it.
It was at PyCon. Rami kept the concept alive for a while. This was sort of replaced by the staff t-shirts. Maybe this year we can add something that says "questions? ask me"?
The hat idea is nice because it is easy to spot in a crowd, but I know everyone will not wear it... I know I wouldn't because my head would be over heated by 9am :) The hats were great when people wore them but they do get uncomfortable quickly! Maybe big buttons? I'd be happy to order a few!
-- Rami Chowdhury “A mind all logic is like a knife all blade — it makes the hand bleed that uses it.” — Rabindranath Tagore
On Tue, Mar 7, 2017 at 3:33 PM, Rami Chowdhury <rami.chowdhury@gmail.com> wrote:
On Tue, Mar 7, 2017 at 12:49 AM, Jamiel Almeida <slashfoo@gmail.com (mailto:slashfoo@gmail.com)> wrote:
My idea with the tables are for rallying up the volunteers that show up the day of with little info on what to do, I'm sure the people at that
So at that point we could either put the sign there, or fold it into
registration later.
The utility for this is basically so that volunteers that show up
fresh/new to the whole deal, that put their names on the excell sheets and half-read the instructions have somewhere to anchor to at the beginning of
We could also just replace the whole idea with a big "catchy" sign
I am not sure which option would work best. On one hand I think the staff room is a good place but on the other hand, it can be an intense
On Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 16:24, Ewa Jodlowska wrote: table will be bored a few hours into the conference. the day when only early risers are at the tables. that reads "Volunteering? Go to the staff room". place to walk into if it is busy...which it is most of the time :) We don't always have people in there to welcome and assist volunteers either...
Another idea that I have seen at another family friendly conference (or maybe it was at pycon in a previous year? don't remember) was that the volunteers wore (those that wanted to, anyways) Dr. Seuss, "Cat in the Hat" hats so that they could be easily identified. I like the idea of wearing something distinct so that people that need help can have an easier way getting it.
It was at PyCon. Rami kept the concept alive for a while. This was sort of replaced by the staff t-shirts. Maybe this year we can add something
We could do both? Have tables for the first couple of hours and then put the sign up by registration? that says "questions? ask me"?
The hat idea is nice because it is easy to spot in a crowd, but I know
everyone will not wear it... I know I wouldn't because my head would be over heated by 9am :) The hats were great when people wore them but they do get uncomfortable quickly! Maybe big buttons? I'd be happy to order a few!
+1 Betsy also just suggested buttons to me. I think for now we should do that. Betsy will order 20-30 of them. I would only want the staff volunteers to wear them though and not the onsite volunteers.
participants (3)
-
Ewa Jodlowska -
Jamiel Almeida -
Rami Chowdhury