VOLUNTEER

Our events are built on volunteer participation, so we encourage every attendee to get involved. This page will tell you what you need to do if you'd like to join the MAGWest team. The info here is applicable to new volunteers, or returning volunteers who did not meet "staff" level requirements. To see some of the positions departments are recruiting for, visit our Staff Board.

PERKS

Volunteers are required to purchase admission to the event, but are eligible for various rewards, including swag, food, badge refunds, and even complementary admission to future events. The more hours you put in, the more rewards you get! Some hours are weighted more than others (such as high skill jobs, or late night shifts), so you can choose a schedule that works best for you. The rewards you receive are tentatively as follows:

  • Volunteering at least 8 hours gets you a MAGWest t-shirt.

  • Volunteering at least 16 hours gets you access to our tea room for snacks and some meals.

  • Volunteering at least 24 hours gets you a refund on your badge for this year, and you'll be considered staff next year.

  • Volunteering at least 30 hours ONLY IF you're a returning Staffer gets you shared space in one of our staff hotel rooms.

Plus, you’ll also get some potential discounts on merch at the event during specific times.

If you have any questions about volunteering, feel free to contact our Staff Operations Department at stops@magwest.org.

HOW TO VOLUNTEER

STEP 1: BEGIN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS

We'll need to begin collecting your information, so go to the pre-registration page where you can begin entering your basic details.

STEP 2: CHECK THE "WANT TO VOLUNTEER?" CHECKBOX

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The checkbox appears about half-way down the page. Once you check this, additional options will become available.

STEP 3: SELECT THE AREAS YOU WANT TO HELP

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MAGWest has dozens of department working together in tight coordination to keep every fest running smoothly. Check off whichever department interests you most! We recommend choosing no more than three different departments, since learning new departments can be a challenging process. Selections don't guarantee that you will be placed in these departments; department heads will review requests and make assignments accordingly.

If you're not sure what goes on in each department, hover your mouse over each for a short description. You can also visit our Volunteer Opportunities board for details of some of the specific positions available by department. Of note - not all MAGWest departments are currently listed here, the above is simply a condensed version of the available departments. 

STEP 4: COMPLETE AND PAY FOR YOUR REGISTRATION

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If you work enough hours at-fest, we'll refund your registration as soon as possible following the event.

STEP 5: YOU'RE ALL CONFIRMED!

That's all you need to do to register yourself as a volunteer! From here, the departments you're assigned to may have their own individual procedures, as some of them choose to optionally send a "welcome to our department" e-mail to their volunteers. Either way, as the event approaches (usually 2-3 months beforehand), our Staff Operations department (STOPS) will send you a Volunteer Checklist where you can confirm your attendance, choose your shirt size, specify food preferences (for staff suite), and most importantly, sign up for shifts in your department.

If you have any questions about the above, feel free to contact our Staff Operations Department at stops@magwest.org.