There is an incredible selection of volunteer opportunities for you to choose from. Whether your interest is in literary readings, summer festivals or office support you will be able to find something that fits your interest and schedules.
Arts & Crafts Assistant
The Arts & Craft Assistant supports and enhances the delivery of various programmes and activities. Responsibilities include:
- Be willing to work as part of a team
- Be willing to organize hands-on activities
- Prepare materials and maintain a workspace
- Assist children in making their creative projects within the programme
- Assist with the set-up and clean-up of workstations
- Other duties as assigned
Camera Operator
The Camera Operator is crucial in preserving and compiling video recordings for the Literary archives. Responsibilities include:
- Ensure that the video camera is set up on the tripod, and that it is ready to record using the video tape that is provided
- Just before the reading starts, begin filming (include host(s) speech and introductions), and resume after the intermission
- Change the tape as discussed with the Reading Series staff before the event starts
- Other duties as assigned
Education Programme Assistant
The Educational Programme Assistant supports and enhances the delivery of the Educational Programmes. Qualifications required include: an interest in education and a willingness to deal with children of all ages. An academic background would be preferred, but not necessary. Responsibilities include:
- Setting-up the required programme in assigned room
- Prepare materials for programme
- Assist the teacher in presenting an organized education programme that stresses participation and hands-on activities
- Assist children with hands-on activities
- After the programme, assist in tidying up the assigned room
- Other duties as assigned
Front of House
Front of House volunteers assist and support the effective running of the event by monitoring the audience that enters the venue. Front of House volunteers are the point of contact for the audience and will direct audience members and inform them about the performances.
Usher Responsibilities include:
- Open doors when directed by staff
- Direct audience members to available seats in the venue
- Other duties as assigned
Ticket Taker Responsibilities include:
- Take tickets at outer doors of the venue (tear at the perforation, keep small stub and return larger stub to audience member)
- Stay by the doors to welcome and direct latecomers
- Remind ticket holders that they should keep their ticket stubs should they exit the venue before the event commences or during the intermission
- Stay at the doors to re-check ticket stubs during intermission
- Other duties as assigned
Gallery Attendant
The Gallery Attendant supports and directs gallery visitors through the various exhibitions at the York Quay Centre. Responsibilities include:
- Welcome and direct visitors around the gallery
- Monitor the artworks and/or installation, making sure that no one touches any art objects
- Monitor that no food or drink is permitted inside of the gallery
- Answer any inquiries about the exhibition by distributing artist statements and/or artist biographies
- Other duties as assigned
Hospitality Suite Volunteers
Hospitality Suite Volunteers are integral in making the authors experience of the festival fulfilling and interesting by providing superior customer service. Responsibilities include:
- Prepare food trays
- Replenish refreshment area
- Pick-up dirty glassware and dishes
- Wash dishes and ashtrays
- Assist the staff with the preparation of marketing materials including cutting out inserts, and folding programmes
- Tidy the Hospitality Suite at the end of the evening (wash tables, keep newspapers organized, put food away, etc.)
- Welcome and direct visitors around the Hospitality Suite
- Other duties as assigned
Information Hosts
The Information Host welcomes and promotes the various programmes, activities and events to the general public on behalf of Harbourfront Centre. Responsibilities include:
- Welcome and direct visitors around the site
- Answer any inquiries about the programmes, activities and events
- Provide interested individuals with Event brochures and/or What's On pamphlets
- Promote the current and upcoming activities at Harbourfront Centre
- Direct the general public to the appropriate people for security and emergency situations
- Other duties as assigned
Membership/Merchandise Volunteer
The M&M volunteer performs the important task of selling merchandise/memberships in support of the Literary programme. All of the revenue generated from sales goes directly to the Literary programme. Responsibilities include:
- Set up the membership /merchandise table
- Display the materials
- Welcome and inform visitors about the various memberships and merchandise that is available
- For each purchase please fill out a separate membership sheet or merchandise sheet
- Accept payment for books and memberships
- At the end of the evening, tally all the sales and sign the sales summary and membership summary sheets
- Other duties as assigned
Office Support
The Office Support volunteer provides superior customer service and office administration skills to enhance and promote Harbourfront Centre. Responsibilities include:
- Input specific research into the appropriate database or computer
- Call various organizations in order to update files and/or records
- Provide clerical support including filing, photocopying and typing
- Provide office support including preparing mail outs, compiling letters, printing labels and stuffing and sealing envelopes
- Other duties as assigned
Site Decorator
The Site Decorator volunteer provides a decorating service that is an integral part of the event or programme, both as a visual element and also as part of the overall creative concept. Responsibilities include:
- Designing and preparing site decoration materials
- Installing the site decor throughout the York Quay Centre
- Dismantling the site decor after the completion of the event
- Securing the site decoration in their appropriate storage area
- Other duties as assigned
Ticket Seller/Ticket Taker
The Ticket Seller/Ticket Taker volunteer provides a service to enhance and support the programming at Harbourfront Centre. Responsibilities include:
- Count the float prior to selling any tickets
- Sell tickets for various workshops outside of the venue
- Inform the public to where tickets are being sold in the event that someone does not have a ticket
- Take tickets at the door of each venue
- Record the number of tickets sold at the end of each shift
- Reconcile the float at the end of each shift and mark down on the given sheet the number of tickets sold and the revenue that was generated
- Return the float (with the start amount) to the next volunteer on shift or return to the Harbourfront Staff person
- Hand over collected tickets and/or ticket stubs to the Harbourfront Staff person at the end of the shift
- Other duties as assigned
Volunteer Venue Coordinator
The Volunteer Venue Coordinator performs the important task of coordinating the volunteers at each venue. The Volunteer Venue Coordinator works closely under the supervision of a staff member, and is responsible for one venue per shift. Responsibilities include:
- Welcome volunteer and check them off in the volunteer schedule
- Distribute TTC tickets and parking passes to the volunteers
- Distribute name tags to the volunteers
- Ensure that the volunteers are set up properly at all their stations
- Distribute the cash float and give instructions for the end of the evening
- Answer any questions that might be posed by volunteers
- Collect cash floats, membership applications, volunteer name tags and hand over to the staff person
- Other duties as assigned
Workshop Assistant
The Workshop Assistant provides a service to enhance and support the workshops or demonstrations at Harbourfront Centre. Responsibilities include:
- Assist with greeting workshop participants and/or taking tickets at the door of the venue
- Direct participants to where they should secure their belongings or leave their coats
- Assist the instructor in facilitating the workshop or managing the crowd volumes
- Monitor the workshop and make sure that all the workshop materials are returned to their proper places
- Assist the instructor in distributing any materials or samples to the public
- Assist the instructor in any clean-up procedures or in preparing for the next session
- Other duties as assigned
