Sheffield IVFDF 2022

Thank you for considering stewarding at IVFDF! Here is an explanation of what stewarding involves and what you are likely to be doing.

The nature of stewarding at IVFDF means that there will probably be some last minute changes and a few things you might be asked to do that aren’t listed here. These are likely to be minor and we will never ask anyone to put their safety at risk. If you have any concerns about this, or any things that you can’t do that we might not have thought of, please indicate this on the stewarding form when you apply.

You’re welcome to get in touch to discuss anything or ask any questions before applying by emailing stewarding@sheffield-ivfdf.org.uk .

This page is split into four sections: an overview of what being a steward involves, general duties and expectations for all stewards, responsibilities and expectations of IVFDF 2022 towards stewards, and specific stewarding roles and what they involve.

The only requirements for being a steward are:

• You are 18 or over (under-18s cannot steward for safeguarding reasons)
• You are reasonably sure* you’ll be able to commit to a minimum shift length of 2 hours (you can usually do a shift sitting down). Obviously, if you become ill and can’t do your shift, let us know.

You don't have to be a student, and you don’t have to have stewarded before.

*A note on "reasonably sure" particularly for folks with chronic health conditions or limited energy/spoons: "Reasonably sure" can absolutely mean "I am confident that under normal circumstances I'd be able to commit to this, but there’s a chance that I might have a flare up or run out of energy". We trust you to know your own limits and to not sign up if you’re unlikely to be able to steward. If you do sign up in the expectation that you’ll be able to steward and then can’t, we won’t treat that any differently to if someone has to drop out due to catching Covid, having to take a sick child to hospital, etc. There is a section on the stewarding form to state any accommodations you need.

What does stewarding involve?

• You will commit 2-8 hours of your time to volunteer for the festival, in exchange for a free (8 hours), half price (4 hours) or three-quarter-price (2 hours) ticket and a free IVFDF 2022 t-shirt in yellow (only available to stewards). You can also be a Cover Steward. Your ticket cost will be refunded after the festival (see IVFDF 2022’s duties & responsibilities to stewards for more info).
• The minimum shift length is 2 hours and the maximum is 4, so how many shifts you do will depend on which ticket option you have chosen and what shift length you can do.
• You will usually be on the door of a venue checking wristbands and assisting the public with any queries. You will get guidance on how to do this, and will be able to contact a committee member or SU security/first aiders if needed.
• You will almost always be on shift with another steward. (Hopefully always, but it depends how many sign ups we get and if there are any last minute drop outs, so it can’t be guaranteed.)
• You won’t be able to choose what times your shift(s) are, but we will not ask you to do any shifts you’d be unable to do (i.e. before you arrive, or of a length/at a time that’s not possible due to disability or childcare) and we’ll try our best to accommodate requests and shift swaps.
• Stewarding is often a good way to make friends as you’ll be on shift with another person and have plenty of time to chat, that said, there is no obligation to make conversation if you don’t want to!
• You'll have the option to sign up with someone else so you can do all your shift(s) together. If you do this, you'll have to sign up as two people on the same form, and will both have to work all your shifts together.
• You’ll be able to communicate with other stewards to chat and swap shifts if need be. You’ll need a device that can connect to WiFi and can have the Discord app installed to do this. (N.B.: there is WiFi in the university buildings but we can’t guarantee WiFi in the sleeping venues, so you may need a phone with internet if you are stewarding there and want to be able to do this.) This isn’t a requirement for stewarding, but it does make it easier if you want to be able to shift swap.

General stewarding duties, responsibilities & expectations

• You’ll usually be "on the door" of a venue/event checking wristbands - this means being aware of people coming in, asking them to show wristbands, and not letting them in unless they have the right ones.
• You’re expected to be polite, helpful, respectful and approachable, and to do your best to remain so even if people get frustrated.
• You're not expected to put your personal safety at risk at any time; if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, you should contact the stewards co-ordinator, the Student's Union security/first aiders or in extreme cases, the police; you aren’t expected to handle dangerous or difficult situations alone, or to stand there and take verbal abuse (this is thankfully very rare!)
• You should be willing to help IVFDF attendees find their way or find information (it is OK if you don’t immediately have the information, you just need to be willing to find out if you can!)
• You should be aware of and responsive to people’s accessibility needs (you will get guidance on this)
• You should have an understanding of relevant IVFDF 2022 policies such as the code of conduct and the SU safeguarding policy (these will be available to read, and you’ll get guidance and have the opportunity to ask any questions / discuss with the stewards co-ordinator)
• You shouldn't be under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs during your shift(s) or while on call.
• You should be on time for your shift(s), and be there for the full amount of time agreed to (unless there is an emergency or you're ill).
• You should communicate with the steward co-ordinator if you can't do your shift, are ill, or are delayed.
• You should let the steward co-ordinator know if you swap shifts with anyone.
• While we'll try our best to accommodate any requests for events you don't want to miss, we can't guarantee this, so you should understand that signing up to be a steward means you won't necessarily get to do every single IVFDF thing you want to.
• Comfort/toilet breaks are of course OK - we hope no one will be on shift on their own, but if you are, we can sort it out so you can put a sign up if need be.
• So long as there is someone else on shift with you (and unless we are drastically short of stewards there should be) and they are OK with it, it is generally fine to take a short break if you want to join in a dance. As long as the duties of the shift are being done, we aren't strict about making sure people are at their post all the time, but you do need to be visible and reachable if needed, and (except for toilet breaks or grabbing water/food/etc. quickly) not leave the room/area you're stewarding in unless you’re required to do so by your duties or due to an emergency.

IVFDF 2022’s duties & responsibilities to stewards

• We will refund your full ticket price (for 8 hours of stewarding) or half ticket price (for 4 hours) after your shifts have been completed. If this is a major issue for you financially, please contact us to discuss.
• We will refund tickets of stewards who were unable to turn up to shifts, or have to leave their shift(s) through no fault of their own (illness, emergency, COVID, etc.) if this is communicated to us by the start of the shift (or during if you have to leave). No-shows who do not contact us cannot be given refunds.
• We will provide guidance and support on stewarding and on other things you are expected to know (such as accessibility and safeguarding) before IVFDF.
• We will get the timetable to you as soon as we possibly can. This will probably only be a few days before IVFDF, as there are always last minute drop outs and changes, but we’ll keep you as updated as we can.
• We will try our best to accommodate any requests for events you really don't want to miss, but we can't guarantee this as the stewarding timetable is very difficult to co-ordinate.
• We will not assign anyone to shifts they can’t do due to arrival/departure times, childcare commitments or medical/disability reasons.
• We will never expect stewards to handle difficult or dangerous situations by themselves and will provide ways of contacting us or the SU security if need be.
• We will accommodate as far as we can any accessibility needs, so long as they are given to us in advance. We cannot guarantee to be able to accommodate accessibility needs that are not indicated on the stewarding form.

Types of stewarding shifts

Front desk

The front desk is the main entry point to IVFDF. The stewards here have two main duties: checking wristbands of attendees who have already checked in, and issuing wristbands to new arrivals. You'll be shown or told how to do this.

Front desk stewards are also responsible for managing t-shirt sales and lost property and being a central communication and information point for the event.

The front desk is usually busiest on Friday evening, which is when most people arrive.

Dance events

Stewards are needed on the door of dance events to check wristbands. Dance event stewards may also need to be a point of contact for the bands/artists and assist them if need be (obviously within your capacities - stewards are not expected to do heavy lifting if unable to!)

Stewards at late night dancing events may be needed to chivvy people out of the venue when it closes.

If your shift partner is OK with it, it's generally fine to take short breaks if you want to join in one of the dances, so long as you are still visible and able to resume your duties if need be.

Workshops

Similar to dance events, workshops stewards will be checking wristbands. Some workshops venues will have dedicated stewards, while others will have a steward assigned to the area.

If your shift partner is OK with it, it's generally fine to take short breaks if you want to join in one of the workshops for a bit, so long as you are still visible and able to resume your duties if need be.

Sleeping venues

Stewards are needed on the door of sleeping venues throughout the night to check wristbands and point people to the venue facilities.

The busiest time for these stewards will be between 11pm (when many of the evening dances finish) and 2am (when late-night dancing finishes). Stewards on shift at these times are expected to be awake.

Stewards on shift between 2am and wake up time (which will be different for different venues) are not expected to be awake throughout the night, but are expected to be able to be roused if someone needs to get in.

Stewards on shift in the mornings will need to be awake and ensure that everyone has left the sleeping venue by the kick out time (different for each venue).

Cover stewards

Cover stewards are stewards who are on call at specific times. They do not have to be at a specific place while on call, but must be contactable. If there is a last minute drop out, they will be required to come and cover the shift. If a cover steward does not respond to a request within 15 minutes, they will not be eligible for their ticket refund.

Cover stewards will be required to be "on call" for more hours than a typical stewarding shift - a full ticket refund requires 12 on call hours, and a half ticket refund requires 6. These can be all at once or in blocks of minimum 3 hours.

Cover stewards who have signed up to 6 on-call hours will not be asked to do more than one shift; cover stewards who have signed up to 12 on-call hours will not be asked to do more than two. Shift length will depend on what the individual steward has indicated they are able to do.

Please note: We may limit numbers of Cover Stewards or close applications for them early, as we don't need as many of them as other types of stewards.