Volunteer Job Descriptions

Dungeon /Stage Equipment Crew

Dungeon and Stage Equipment Crew volunteers will set up the dungeon on Thursday evening, Friday morning, as well as Friday and Saturday evenings before the parties. Volunteers on this crew may also assist in tear down after the parties. We also need stage hands to help prepare for both Friday and Saturday evenings' festivities. Ability to be coherent late at night and to do some lifting is a must.

Event Security

As a Security volunteer, you are here to help ensure that those in attendance are safe and secure at the conference. Security volunteers will make sure that people entering the event are registered attendees. Responsibilities will include checking that all attendees have a SWLC badge and/or appropriate wrist bands. Security volunteers help to secure the areas where the silent auction is at, as well as making sure the attendees are adhering to the rules of the hotel and conference. Security volunteers are chosen at the discretion of the Security Lead.

Bootblack Lounge Monitor

Bootblack Lounge volunteers may be asked to do any/all of the following: a) Assist with maintaining sign up sheet, hunting down next-in-chair, and/or providing charming conversation to those waiting to have their boots done, b) assisting contestants or working bootblacks with minor errands such as refilling a water bottle, c) assisting judges with various requests for information or items, d) helping at the Friday night Bootblack Lounge party after the opening ceremonies and that could be anything from outrageous flirting to grabbing a drink to providing an extra pair of hands. This position is for the fun-at-heart, and requires a sense of humor and sincere desire to help. In return, you'll be invited in to the fabulous world of bootblacks, leather service, pranks, hijinks, partying, and some of the hottest scenes at SWLC.

Workshop Monitor

Workshop monitors' responsibilities include recording the attendance of the presentation they are assigned to, count heads and record it on a presenter sheet, introduce the speaker and, as attendees enter the room, hand out a topic survey and pencil that you will collect at the end of the workshop. Have fun, let your personality shine and welcome everyone as a visible representative of SWLC.

Registration Check-In Team

As a Registration Volunteer, you are one of the first representatives of SWLC an attendee will meet. You are responsible for helping the Registration Team quickly get the attendees through the registration process. Different roles include the Meet & Greet station in the hotel lobby, directing traffic flow to the registration area, and guiding the attendee through the registration process. Stations include: 1) having the attendees sign forms at the forms table, 2) checking attendees in with photo ID, 3) distributing badges, pre-purchased merchandise and a registration bag to the attendees, 4) serving as cashier for any new on-site purchases they might wish to make, 5) serving as ticket-takers for the hosted meal events, and 6) serving at the check-in table for the Dance of Souls on Sunday afternoon.

There are a few roles available for folks willing to put time in before the conference weekend to learn how to run the RegOnline system to assist the Registration Team with on-site registrations and other in-system changes. These spots require advanced training and practice, must be approved by the Executive Director, and will receive a complimentary weekend registration for 12- hours of service between Thursday, Jan 21st, and Sunday, Jan 24th. Please contact Master Trish at volunteers@southwestleather.org if interested in one of these spots!

Hospitality Suite Concierge

You are responsible to assist the Hospitality suite team lead to help keep tables stocked with food, coolers filled with ice and drinks. Keep tables and work areas clean. Pick up any trash left behind. Empty trash cans. Last shift of day is responsible for closing up for the night.

Our Place Temple Guards

A Temple Guard should be an individual who wishes to contribute to the spiritual heart and spirit of the conference. Thus, this person needs to be someone who is spiritually aware, capable of holding sacred space and willing to do so for at least two hours at a time. This is a high vibration spiritual service aimed at the collective consciousness from individuals who can bring their attention to the center of the spirit of our leather clan.

A Temple Guard’s specific duties would include:

• Ensuring the temple candle is lit first thing in the morning and extinguished last thing at night, with due respect and ritual.
• Welcoming visitors to Our Place to use the space for their own individual quiet contemplation.
• Keeping persons in the room and at the threshold respectfully quiet.
• Setting the general tone for sacred practice for whoever is in the room.
• Inviting visitors to contribute to the Give-Away portion explaining its purpose.
• Encouraging visitors to sign the guest book and record
  • their experience in the room
  • what they liked about Our Place and
  • any suggestion to improve Our Place experience for next year.
• Ensuring that when people leave Our Place, the space is returned, physically, to its original state.
• Ensuring that the material and equipment in the room is safe and respected, to include having the room unlocked or locked as necessary.
• Attending the room at all times during their shift.

These special volunteers should be willing to, and capable of, hold sacred space for two to four hours at a time, in as many shifts needed to fulfill the volunteer agreement of a total of four or eight hours for the weekend.

We will not be making arbitrary decisions about these special volunteers but will be listening to what Spirit tells us about who to choose, so please do not be offended if you are not chosen this year. It is not that you are unacceptable, but that we have been told you have another, perhaps more important, contribution to the event. We encourage you to view the asking as a journey in and of itself, having no expectations of the answer.