Next year I plan to work a lot of festivals before I go to university. I was wondering if it was better to sign up with green stewards or to find individual work for each. I'm pretty open to which festivals I work, though I have a few I definitely want to go to.
Definitely sign up with green stewards, you'll get a message each time they have work to offer at festivals, sometimes at quite short notice. And they're really lovely people... Signing up with them doesn't mean you can't also work with other companies, I also work with DC Site Services who do the Festival Republic slightly more mainstream festivals but also gems like Latitude, Big Chill etc. Some festivals organise their own stewarding, and of course there's Oxfam who do loads, but I've never fancied working for them. Then there's the Workers Beer Company for bar work, or countless other stalls, organisations, kids zones etc you can work for. You'll need to be 18 for all stewarding and bar work, of course...
I'll have to be getting on with that then, thanks The irritatingest (sorry) thing is that I'm 18 the day after Glastonbury finishes next year so I can only work festivals after then. I'm going to Glastonbury as an 18th birthday present to myself though
Hmm, do you actually have to be 18 to sign up? Because I won't be 18 until July 1st and that might be a bit late
most of the green stewards festivals are unpaid and im not sure if you can sign up with them until your 18 but it doesnt really matter because most events they do they generally want people you could do shambala with them for example . some events are paid most of dc site services events are paid but their a lot longer hours and more of a endurance event at a festival , I enjoy doing them but they can be tough . working events I find a lot more fun than just going to them the crew are often times far more hardcore and fun than the members of the public . if you go take really good waterproofs goretex ones
Stewarding for festivals is a lot of fun - i'd recommend it. This year I stewarded with people and planet at Green Man who were lovely people to work with and it helped raise a little bit of money for them also. I'm not sure I'd ever want to steward a large festival such as Glastonbury, mainly as there's so much to see that i'd feel that I was missing out when I was working. Stewarding at Beautiful Days and Green Man i didnt get that feeling as the sites are so small theyre not so overwhelming. Just my thoughts
your maybe right about glastonbury, Ive never worked it although may this next year, but with some jobs your there over a lot longer period and part of the fun of the festival is the work and the people you work with some of my friends are at glastonbury for 2 weeks. I cant abide car parking because basically you have to deal with annoying wankers you tell them to park somewhere and they park somewhere else . Ive never done litter picking I like fire marshalling ideally from a tower at night , Im not that keen on venue stewarding although you get to listen to a band . some stewarding groups offer training some dont some give you a stewarding manual some dont , the ones that dont are pretty crap in that your likely to be the first person on the scene of say a fire or first aid problem and people will ask you where such and such is and you should know .
Generally at the larger festivals you can get volunteer stewarding where you do around three 8 hour shifts for your ticket, and get plenty of time to see the festival. DC Site Services do this under the name of CAT (Campsite Assistance Teams) at Reading, Latitude etc. You can do it at Glastonbury through Oxfam (apply early) or Stuart Security. Glastonbury goes on for five days, that leaves you loads of free time. Frankly you'd be a chump to pay £160 when you can get it all for free and have the satisfaction of helping out and seeing behind the scenes into the bargain. There's also the option of working full time over the course of the festival for pay, and having a little time off to see the festival for free. I tend to work as long as possible for pay nowadays, partly to annoy Jonny by being more hardcore than him, but the option for both is usually there. Green Stewards' volunteer gigs only ask you to work three 6 hour shifts, which is nothing... I spent 20 hours straight on my tower at Reading:tongue: Nyika, I'd assume you can apply early as long as you'll be 18 on the date you need to start work, but you can always ask them
I tend to help at BGG whether they like it or not! I'm usual quite pissed tho, don't know how much help I am but at least I keep Jonny company I think it takes a lot of commitment to work at festies when you could just be chilling and taking in the entertainment. Good Luck
Personally I'd say sitting around enjoying yourself takes much more effort. But I am, perhaps, unusual.
The girls doing the actual stall for oxfam at womad only had to do 3 4 hour shifts! They were getting people to sign postcards etc
I did Glastonbury through Workers Beer. You need to be 18 when you do it, but well worth it. Really nice facilities, lots of free drinks and food, and to be honest, I really enjoyed the work too. Bars are fun
