Volunteering FAQs

Volunteering at ShAFF - Frequently Asked Questions

Who volunteers for ShAFF?

ShAFF always has a wide range of volunteers of all ages - 66 is the current oldest.

Many of our volunteers are keen climbers, runners cyclists etc, however, you do not have to be an extreme sports athlete to help out. We also have volunteers with an interest in film and event management or who just enjoy the festival atmosphere. The main requirement is that you are enthusiastic and happy to get involved with whatever needs doing.

What will I be asked to do if I volunteer?

The majority of roles will involve working ‘Front of House’ in association with the cathedral staff and volunteers to make the festival a success. You could be checking tickets, directing guests to the right location, dealing with any festival questions or collecting feedback from our guests. 

Prior to the festival, we could sometimes do with a hand, in particular with publicising the festival. If you’re in Sheffield and have your own transport, let us know on the application form.

You will not be asked to do anything you are not comfortable with and for some roles we may follow up your initial application with a telephone call or brief meeting to discuss things in more detail.

Volunteer rewards

We really do appreciate you helping us out. Things can change year on year, but alongside the festival T-shirt, you will be able to attend film sessions and panels free of charge (subject to there being free space ), when you’re not working. In addition, we try wherever possible, to get one or two sponsor freebies and keep a supply of snacks and soft drinks available to keep you going. You will also qualify for the venue's staff discount at the bar.

A couple of important points.

As mentioned above, we do aim to give you free time to take in films, lectures and other activities you may be interested in. However, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to watch specific films/panels as the needs of running the festival must come first. We will try to be flexible where we can but if you really want to attend a number of specific sessions, you may be better off not applying to volunteer, and visit as a guest.

You will be covered by our Employers' liability insurance, however we do ask that you are aged 18 or over on the first day of the festival.