One Off - Front of House Volunteer - Pivot Fest - 8-10 May

Front of House Volunteer

Pivot Fest is looking for friendly, reliable and people-focused volunteers to help welcome audiences and support the smooth running of our festival.

Pivot Fest is a learning disability-led arts festival. Many of the artists, participants and audience members will be learning disabled and/or neurodivergent. Volunteers play an important role in helping create a calm, respectful and inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and supported.

You don’t need previous experience, we’ll provide clear guidance and a short training session so you feel confident in the role.

 About the Role

Front of House volunteers are the first point of contact for visitors, artists and partners. You help shape the atmosphere of the festival and support people to move through the space comfortably and confidently.

You might be:

• Welcoming visitors as they arrive
• Helping people find their way around the venue
• Supporting access needs and reasonable adjustments
• Answering questions about the programme
• Managing queues, seating and crowd flow
• Supporting quiet and sensory spaces
• Checking tickets or sign-ins
• Keeping shared spaces tidy and safe
• Offering reassurance or practical support when someone feels unsure or overwhelmed

You’ll always be supported by festival staff and working as part of a team.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re looking for people who are:

• Warm, patient and welcoming
• Comfortable engaging with people with different communication styles and needs
• Calm, observant and responsive
• Respectful of disability, difference and lived experience
• Reliable and able to follow guidance
• Happy to ask questions and ask for help when unsure

Experience in customer service, care, education, community work, arts or events is welcome but not essential. Curiosity, empathy and a willingness to learn matter most.

Training & Support

All volunteers must attend a training session on the morning of Thursday 7 May (approximately 2 hours).

This session will help you feel prepared and confident, and will cover:

• The ethos and values of Pivot Fest
• Disability awareness and inclusive communication
• Accessibility and sensory considerations
• How to support visitors respectfully and safely
• What to do if someone needs extra support
• Health, safety and safeguarding basics
• Your role on the day and who to go to for support

You’ll also receive a short briefing at the start of each shift.

We’re happy to answer any questions about the process.

Safeguarding & DBS

All volunteers will be required to complete a DBS check as part of our safeguarding process. This will be arranged and supported by the festival at no cost to you.

If you already have a valid DBS certificate, please let us know in your application.

We’re happy to answer any questions about the process.

Accessibility & Inclusion

We welcome volunteers of all abilities and backgrounds.

If you have access needs, health considerations, or adjustments that would help you volunteer comfortably, please let us know — we’ll do our best to support you.

Time Commitment

• Mandatory training: Morning of Thursday 7 May (approx. 2 hours)
• Festival shifts: One or more shifts (typically 3–4 hours) across:
  • Friday 8 May
  • Saturday 9 May
  • Sunday 10 May

You can volunteer for one day or multiple days. 

Process:

You will need an account to register your interest for this role. Once you have registered your interest you will receive an automatic email with next steps. If you have not received this in a couple of hours, please do get in touch as it may not have registered (volunteering@hiveportsmouth.org.uk). 

You will need to respond to the "Criteria Check" email to progress with this role. 

Please check your junk email folder in case any emails end up there.  Friendly reminder that the charities/organisations emails may end up here too. 

Don't forget you can add up any volunteering hours as part of Team 100 Opportunity - Hive Portsmouth or part of the Donate 100 things challenge Opportunity

Skills

We’re looking for people who are:

• Warm, patient and welcoming
• Comfortable engaging with people with different communication styles and needs
• Calm, observant and responsive
• Respectful of disability, difference and lived experience
• Reliable and able to follow guidance
• Happy to ask questions and ask for help when unsure

Experience in customer service, care, education, community work, arts or events is welcome but not essential. Curiosity, empathy and a willingness to learn matter most.