Volunteer FAQ
You have questions, we have answers! We aim to make your four-day convention exciting by bringing you and 4,000 of our best friends together to share our love of science fiction while building a stronger community.
Here's a short list of some of the most popular questions we get and our answers to them. If you don't find your answer here, please contact us directly at volunteers@convergence-con.org and we will get back to you shortly.
What can I do to help / How can I volunteer?
What are "Badgers" and why do we need them?
How do we keep the elevators running smoothly?
What is a "Rover"?
Is there an information hot spot at the convention?
What is the "Vol Den" / Do you need help in the "Vol Den"?
How can I sign-up for badging, elevator, rover, or desks shifts?
How do I accumulate volunteer hours?
How many hours do I need to volunteer?
What are Connie Points?
What can you do with your Connie Points?
When is the Volunteer Thank-You Party?
How do I collect my swag / Forgot your swag?
How do I provide feedback about the convention?
How can I join the department?
What can I do to help / How can I volunteer?
Departments need help year round including back office, setup and tear down at the convention, as well as running things during the event.
Before the convention:
If you're interested in helping a particular area, e-mail the department directly through the "Contact Us" link on this site.
You can also shoot us an e-mail at volunteers@convergence-con.org and we
will make sure your name gets passed along to that department.
We've got a new online scheduling and hours tracking tool this year. Please go to http://www.shiftboard.com/ce and register. We do not have all available volunteer shifts in the schedule this year, but registering still helps. It will make it easier for us to make sure you get all your Connie Points and rewards, and we can better let you know when shifts are available next year.
At the convention:
Stop by the Information Desk/Volunteers' Table in CONvergence Central, next to the main stage and dealers' room, and simple
ask, "Where do you need help?" The people helping there are in constant contact with all of the other departments and would
be happy to introduce you to others.
The Volunteers' department staffs other areas during and after the convention too and we will need you. During the convention, we need badgers, elevator operators, and staff for the Information Desk/Volunteers' Table in CONvergence Central, sign-up in Registration, and the Volunteers' Den (Vol Den). After the convention we put on a party to thank everyone who volunteered and we need your help to make it great. E-mail us at volunteers@convergence-con.org.
Persons with Disabilities who wish to volunteer:
Every member of our community is valuable and we look forward to your contribution. Regardless of age, sight, hearing, or
mobility. We have a place for you at CONvergence.
What are "Badgers" and why do we need them?
With the exception of Guests of Honor (GoH), everyone pays to attend the convention. Badgers are volunteers who check anyone entering convention space are registered members by ensuring they are proudly displaying their current year badge.
This is a very important job and it comes with perks! Not only will you get a comfy chair to take a break from your convention experience you'll also get a prime location to do some people watching while still helping out.
Badging shifts are ninety (90) minutes each and we are always looking for more volunteers. Plus, you'll receive a unique patch for lending a hand.
If you are interested please sign-up before the convention at http://www.shiftboard.com/ce.
At the convention, stop by CONvergence Central, next to the main stage and dealers' room, and talk to one of the friendly people at the Information Desk/Volunteers' Table.
Don't worry, we'll train you.
How do we keep the elevators running smoothly?
Our community is grateful to have the convention at the Double Tree and don't want to break it therefore, it's important to be mindful of elevator capacity. In past years the elevators would break-down mid-convention and no one liked that.
We now recruit volunteers to be operators/monitors and assist with the number of people, floor selection, and overall crowd control in the elevators. Each shift is thirty (30) minutes but will be recorded as a full hour of volunteering time because of the tight environment. That's double time!
The convention rule is everyone should load the elevator on the first floor and exit on the second floor with exception for the handicapped.
With everyone's help we can keep things moving!
If you're interested in being an elevator operator please sign-up in advance of the convention at http://www.shiftboard.com/ce
.During the convention just stop by CONvergence Central, next to the main stage and dealers' room, and talk to one of the friendly people at the Information Desk/Volunteers' Table.
What is a "Rover"?
A "Rover" is a volunteer who checks on and thanks our badgers and elevator operators. This person will be provided radio training and walk all over the convention interacting with our growing volunteer community.
Is there an information hot spot at the convention?
It's our job to keep the community informed.
Before the convention:
We encourage you to check out www.convergence-con.org for updates along with
the programming schedule at http://schedule.convergence-con.org/.
At the convention:
Stop by CONvergence Central, next to the main stage and dealers' room, and visit the crossroads at the Information
Desk/Volunteers' Table. We have extra copies of the program guide and can help you find almost anything.
What is the "Vol Den" / Do you need help in the "Vol Den"?
Started in 2009, the Volunteers' Den (Vol Den) is a place where you can relax, play games, and otherwise further socialize with the community. Open most hours during the convention (we need to sleep too); we encourage you to come, play and relax or get a Massage!
| Vol Den Hours: | ||
| Wednesday | Noon-? Set Up Only-Come help us and earn your Connie Points! | |
| Thursday | Noon-2:00am (Friday Morning) | |
| Friday | 10:00am-2:00am (Saturday Morning) | |
| Saturday | 10:00am-2:00am (Sunday Morning) | |
| Sunday | 10:00am-4:00pm | |
All you need to enjoy this perk is four (4) hours of volunteering. Bring your volunteer card and your Convention badge to gain entry! We are conveniently located next door to F2E2 and we hope to see you there. (If you have a ConCom badge, that works too!)
If you're interested in helping out in the Vol Den, please e-mail us at volunteers@convergence-con.org or sign-up at http://www.shiftboard.com/ce.
How can I sign-up for badging, elevator, rover, or desks shifts?
Your community needs you! If you're considering signing up for a badging station, elevator monitor, Volunteers' Den, Information Desk/Volunteers' Table, or sign-up in Registration, THANK YOU.
Signing up to donate hours at http://www.shiftboard.com/ce.
It's a great way to help the CON and meet lots of people!
How do I accumulate volunteer hours?
Both volunteers and the departments track the volunteer hours (to help with bookkeeping).
Before the convention:
If you are attending Convention Committee (ConCom) meetings, sign in and you automatically get three (3) hours.
If you are attending/helping a specific department, confirm the co-heads or sub-head are reporting your hours to the
Volunteers' department.
At the convention:
Get a green Volunteer Card from the Information Desk/Volunteer Table in CONvergence Central, next to the main stage and
dealers' room, and record your donated time in each department. When your shift is done, the department's co-head(s) or
sub-head(s) will record your hours in their department book and sign off on your green card. When your card is full turn
it into the Information Desk/Volunteer Table.
It's that easy!
How many hours do I need to volunteer?
We want everyone to enjoy the convention and if we can each donate a little time our community will be that much stronger. So really, every bit does help!
Aside from our everlasting thanks, we'd also like to give you some cool swag for your efforts and to brand you as one of us. Each level is cumulative!
Badging shift = badging patch
Elevator monitor = double time (30 minutes = 60 minutes)
One (1) hour = button and Volunteers' Party after the convention.
Four (4) hours = an all access pass to the Vol Den
Ten (10) hours = an e-mail thank you from Connie van Robot
Fifteen (15) hours = t-shirt
Twenty-five and up (25+) = the super-secret/highly coveted collector Uber prize AND earlier hotel registration
Patches, buttons, shirts, and Uber prizes can be picked up at the Information Desk/Volunteers' Tables in CONvergence Central, next to the main stage and dealers' room, or at the Volunteers' Party after your hours are earned.
What are Connie Points?
We're glad you asked! Again this year, we will be using Connie Points to say thank you to our hard-working volunteers. For every hour you volunteer, you will receive 1 Connie Point. Some jobs, like elevator monitors, get an extra boost. Every hour you volunteer after closing ceremonies on Sunday (and Monday!) will get you 2 Connie Points.
What can you do with your Connie Points?
Bring your green volunteer card to the Volunteers table and we'll set you up with your Connie Points card. Once you've got your Connie Points card, it is decision time! This year we have a total of 10 different items you can get with your Connie Points. Stop by the Volunteer Table to see what we've got this year.
Connie Points can be redeemed during the 2012 convention and at the 2012 Volunteer Thank-You Party.
When is the Volunteer Thank-You Party?
We're throwing a bash to say thank you to all of our great volunteers. The party starts at 7pm at our beloved Doubletree hotel. We'll be right next to the pool with food, thank-you gifts, space to sit down and hang out, and some fun new things. (Date to be determined.)
If you haven't picked up your patches, buttons, shirts, and/or Uber prizes see the person at the door and we will confirm your hours and provide you your swag. Check the CONvergence Home page for start times.
The team organizing the party is looking for energized/self-motivated people to help with layout and content. E-mail us at volunteers@convergence-con.org if you are interested.
We look forward to seeing you there.
How do I collect my swag / Forgot your swag?
Patches, buttons, shirts, and Uber prizes can be picked up at the Information Desk/Volunteers' Tables in CONvergence Central, next to the main stage and dealers' room, or at the Volunteers' Party after your hours are earned.
After the Volunteers' Party, if you haven't picked up your swag e-mail us at volunteers@convergence-con.org.
How do I provide feedback about the convention?
We love hearing from you because it helps us build a stronger community. What did we do right? What needs improvement? Do you want to help next year?
You can give your feedback on our online survey at anytime of the year. We appreciated your help in making the convention a better experience for you.
How can I join the department?
If you'd like to donate time to the department at the convention come sign-up for a shift at: http://www.shiftboard.com/ce.
Thanks for Volunteering, see you at the convention! ~Connie