Staff and Volunteers

Depending on the size of your event team, you will most likely need to employ more resources to help deliver your event. This is quite common and there are generally a number of other events that take place in the region that have encountered the same issue, so it can be beneficial to talk to these events organisers regarding where they employ their casual pool from.

Depending on the size of your event team, you will most likely need to employ more resources to help deliver your event. This is quite common and there are generally a number of other events that take place in the region that have encountered the same issue, so it can be beneficial to talk to these events organisers regarding where they employ their casual pool from.

Keep in mind that you’re better to have too many staff working on the day than too few, as it is much easier to relinquish staff than to be chasing extras on the day. Also you’ll need to ensure you comply with applicable awards and employment conditions.

We recommend visiting the Fair Work website to ensure you are informed and prepared.

Volunteers will often play a vital role in ensuring that your event runs smoothly.

Local service clubs such as the State Emergency and Rural Fire Services can often assist with requirements on the day. You will need to ensure that the relevant insurances are in place to cover volunteer activities at your event and make sure you give volunteers suitable responsibilities. For example unless volunteers have security qualifications they shouldn’t be undertaking such tasks.

It is important to note that as the event organiser, you have the same legal obligation and duty of care to volunteers as you do for paid workers.

The Centre of Volunteering is a helpful resource. They can help you with recruitments advice, discuss relevant insurances, and explain the rights for volunteers and organisations.

Check out their website: http://www.volunteering.com.au/

All Staff, both paid and unpaid should be required to report to a central location and record their hours of work during the event. This is to ensure that Workplace Health and Safety laws are being abided by based on the fact that events often require extended hours of work so you will need to ensure that you are operating within the law.

You will need to ensure that all staff, volunteers and contractors working on the event have any necessary qualifications in place such as Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA), First Aid etc. Where necessary you should keep a list of all relevant personnel and their qualifications onsite.

These can be a good way of ensuring that you have the appropriate number of staff allocated to the relevant duties, and that staff are aware of what’s happening when, and where they are required to be.

Run Sheets should be developed in conjunction with all staff and volunteer coordinators, with copies distributed to all the relevant people for use on the day.

All Staff, both paid and unpaid should be required to report to a central location and record their hours of work during the event. This is to ensure that Workplace Health and Safety laws are being abided by based on the fact that events often require extended hours of work so you will need to ensure that you are operating within the law.