Volunteer
Our volunteers
DanceWize NSW volunteers are recruited from the festival, rave, doof, and dance music communities. Each volunteer brings a wealth of knowledge, compassion, integrity, and intrinsic motivation from their own experiences within these scenes. Our volunteers are aged 18+, and they all identify as peers to the communities of people who use drugs in the music scenes that they love. The peer identities of our team are key to allowing for greater understanding of their community members' experiences, equipping them with the skills and empathy needed to provide relevant, nonjudgmental support to festival patrons who use drugs.
What's it like to be a DanceWize NSW Volunteer?
Volunteers are inducted and trained to fulfil the role of Key Peer Educator (KPE). DanceWize NSW KPEs have several areas of responsibility at an event including roving, care interventions, and education.
Care Interventions – Care interventions mostly occur within the DanceWize NSW space; a private Care Space dedicated to providing safety, support and 1:1 care to patrons experiencing distress or overwhelm. KPEs provide care in the form of a kind conversation, a safe place to rest, a cup of tea and a snack, or a warm, dry place to chill out and ground themselves. Our Care Space is always co-located with onsite medical services and we monitor our patrons carefully while awake or asleep to determine if they need further care or support.
Peer Education – Education interactions occur at a DanceWize NSW Education Space, often collocated with the Care Space. KPEs assist patrons to learn more about recreational drug use, polydrug interactions, myth busting, drugs and the law, and referrals to services as required. Our KPEs are extensively trained to be able to answer questions that patrons might have for them regarding drugs and other health and self care tips. We have extensive resources produced by DWNSW available at every festival, alongside consumables such as lollypops, ear plugs, condoms etc.
Roving – Roving occurs in teams of two KPES walking through event grounds and campsites at peak periods, to keep an eye out for people who are feeling unwell or confused and provide support either via medical, our DanceWize NSW Care Space, or security, as necessary. Our rovers have radio contact with all necessary service providers and during the day also hand out things like fresh fruit, condoms, ear plugs, substance-specific harm reduction information, and lollipops. KPEs are on the look out for signs of overdose or distress, and are often the first point of contact for a patron receiving further intervention or assistance.
Experienced KPEs can apply to become a volunteer Team Leader, and if successful receive extra training and support to fulfil higher duties of responsibility in leading teams of KPEs at festivals. Check out our Team Leaders HERE
Applicant Info
To volunteer for DanceWize NSW you must:
• Have lived experience of drug use OR part of a community of people that use drugs (friends. Family members etc).
• Love festivals and have CURRENT interest and involvement in the festival scene (raves, doofs, festivals, parties etc.)
• Be over 18
• Be able and willing to volunteer for multiple events on weekends
• Be able to attend 4 hours of induction training
• Be able to attend first aid training (paid for by us once you're signed up to a shift)
• Be able to attend evening meetings - trainings, pre-event briefings and post-event debriefings (usually held on Wednesday evenings)
Please note, as a peer-based harm reduction service, the strength of our program comes from the authentic peer experience and participation in the community. As such we may preference certain lived experiences to ensure a diverse and authentic team.
By joining our team, a volunteer commits to the following:
• 6 hour induction training session (in person at our Glebe office or online)
• Full day First Aid training course (reimbursed by us after your first shift)
• Additional hours of training modules, delivered in person or online throughout the year
• One 6-8 hour shift at one-day festivals
• Two 6-8 hour shifts at a multi day festival
• Attending briefing and debriefing meetings for each event at our office (usually on a week night at 6pm- 8pm, online options)
• Joining a diverse community of peers activity engaged in supporting one another as a team
• Communicating regularly with the team through Slack
In return, DanceWize NSW commits to the following, on behalf of our team:
• A complimentary festival ticket for the festivals you are working at
• Provide all volunteers with training in First Aid, Overdose Response, Blood-Borne Virus, Trip Sitting, Psycho-pharmacology, and Relevant Legal Information
• Sufficient time off to enjoy the festivals you are attending
• Team bonding activities to learn and enjoy each other’s company outside festival life
• Ongoing drug and alcohol education
• Induction into a team of amazing volunteers!
If you are interested in volunteering for DanceWize NSW please complete the application form via by clicking on the button below.
Our recruitment and induction process can take some time, due to the volume of applications we receive and other demands on our time, but we will get back to you!
The link below will take you to the login page for our volunteer management system where you will be prompted to create a login to begin your application.
FAQs
Do I need to attend every festival?
No. We understand the pressures of every day life, particularly with families, study or full-time work, so we only ask that you commit to as many as is realistic.
Can I join if I live outside Sydney?
As long as you are able to attend festivals around NSW then absolutely! We attend multiple festivals across NSW - from the vineyards of the Hunter to the beaches of the Illawarra and all the way out to Mudgee. We love our regional members and are committed to ensuring that all of our volunteers are able to feel engaged and included in the program. We offer a range of alternative online options for training and engagement to make sure your location doesn't impact your ability to be part of the team.
Do I need to work in the AOD industry already?
No. We have KPEs who work in health services, education, hospitality, rurally, as full-time mothers, students, and more. Diversity is key.
Do I need to have my own transport?
No. We attend rural/regional events as well as Sydney-based events - we have a strong culture of carpooling among our volunteers. Around half of our team drive, so we are sure you'll find a lift.
Do I need a Working with Children Check?
Maybe. While a WWCC is not required to volunteer at 18+ events, you will need one to volunteer at events that allow underage patrons. We recommend you apply for your WWCC (which is free for volunteers) when you join the team, so that you don’t miss out on any events you’d like to work.
Can partners join up together?
Yes, however it is important that you are able to focus on your role while you are working a shift. We also can't necessarily roster partners together on the same shift.
Can I join the team if I am not an Australian citizen?
Yes, certainly! We do ask for a certain level of commitment though due to the rigorous training program, so if you're only here for a month, it may not be the right program for you!
Can I join the team if I have “grown out of partying” but still want to help?
Yes! Having lived and living experience is important to providing an authentic and trusted peer service at these events, and that includes our peer-allies who may not directly be in the scene anymore. That being said, there is still an expectation our volunteers stay up to date with trends and news within the scene even if you're not an active participant.
If you would like to know more, please contact NUAA on (02) 9171 6650 or free call 1800 644 413 or email dancewizensw@nuaa.org.au.