Interested in becoming a volunteer? Volunteering is a great way to gain experience, learn various skills, and enjoy yourself while impacting the Anime Community. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to meet new people, make friends, and learn more about our operations. 

WHAT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE?

INFO BOOTH: Your responsibilities would include providing attendees with basic information.

REGISTRATION: Responsibilities would include prepping lanyards, badges, and processing credit card transactions for tickets and/or merchandise.

PROGRAMMING: Responsibilities include ensuring the event schedule of all panels and activities are met, as well as assisting the programming coordinator with needs for the show.

GUESTS RELATIONS: Your responsibilities include assisting guests with sales at their booth, assisting our maids with being their gofer, and helping other guests with tasks.

SHOW FLOOR: Your responsibilities would include ensuring traffic runs smoothly and answering attendees' questions, as well as making sure vendors are okay and have anything they need.

MOVE-IN: Responsibilities would include helping get all the equipment to the rooms they belong to and setting up an exhibitor room.

TEAR DOWN: Responsibilities include picking up any equipment from the show and loading it back into the truck.

FLOATER: Responsibilities would include floating from department to department where assistance is needed.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?

• *A volunteer badge that grants full access to the event for the weekend.

• *Fun and comradeship with other fans.

• *Free staff shirts when we have them. (Supplies are limited.)

VOLUNTEER RULES

• You must be 18 or older to volunteer. As long as you are 18 on or before the Friday before Ba-Con, you may apply.

• You must abide by all the rules, procedures, and policies, including, but not limited to, those regarding behavior, attire, weapons, drugs, and alcohol.  

• You are expected to check in with your staff coordinator when you arrive and throughout the weekend, as requested.

• You must check in with your staff coordinator at least 15 minutes before any assigned shift.  If you will be late, please notify your coordinator to let them know of the situation so they can make proper arrangements to cover your shift.

• You agree while on shift to wear the staff shirt (supplies are limited). If we run out of staff shirts a plain black shirt will work.  We recommend wearing shorts or jeans, and good sneakers or tennis shoes. You may cosplay while on shift, provided your coordinator says it’s ok.  Check-in with us if you aren’t sure what to wear.

• You agree to maintain a socially acceptable level of hygiene while working the event.  Please wear deodorant, take a shower, and wear clean clothes.  Just do it.

If you require any ADA accommodations, you must supply this information when you fill out the volunteer application.  

VOLUNTEER CONDUCT & ANTI-HARASSMENT POLICY

Ba-Con is dedicated to providing harassment and a violence-free event experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form.  Ba-Con participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the event without a refund at the discretion of the event organizers. Exhibitors, vendors, guests, panelists, event staff, and any other individuals associated with the event are also subject to the anti-harassment policy. We expect all team members, guests, panelists, vendors, exhibitors, and other individuals who are affiliated with the event in any capacity to follow these rules at all event venues and social events.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to, verbal comments reinforcing social structures of domination related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, or religion.

Harassment can also be defined as deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, sustained disruption of panels or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Team members asked to stop harassing behavior, including unsolicited or unwanted photography or recording, are expected to comply immediately.

Abuse of power is defined as using one’s position of power in an abusive way. This can take many forms, including but not limited to: taking advantage of someone, gaining access to information that is outside the known and accepted purview of their position, or manipulating someone with the ability to punish them if they do not comply. For all allegations, a member of the Ba-Con executive team will assess whether the act in question constitutes an abuse of power.

If a team member or other participant engages in harassing or violent behavior or appears to have taken actions that constitute an abuse of power, the event organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender, expelling the offender from the event (up to and including permanently), and/or contacting local law enforcement. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, and/or have any other concerns, please immediately contact a coordinator, first responders, a director, or executive operations.