Conference Volunteers for Aids in Culture: Explorations in the Cultural History of Aids

AIDSinCULTURE.org in Mexico City is always searching for engaged volunteers to assist us in our different academic events and outreach activities, in particular our annual conference: Aids in Culture: Explorations in the Cultural History of Aids. Volunteer duties will include manning an information/check-in desk, assist disabled participants with special needs, being available to answer questions about the conference, the program, the conference center, the area, and functioning as emergency “runners” for presenters and organizers.  

Volunteers will receive free access to all academic presentations and pre-conference activities.  Participation in other events, such as roundtable luncheons, theater plays and tours are available for an extra fee or with a volunteer discount. In addition, all volunteers will receive a Membership Card for one semester in AIDSinCULTURE.org with all regular membership benefits or a 50% discount if they sign up for a regular Membership Card for one year.  

We are asking volunteers to donate a minimum of 8 hours during the conference, though more time is certainly appreciated. To receive an official diploma as a volunteer, you must have donated at least 8 hours during one conference. 

Anyone can be sign up as a volunteer. The minimum requirement, however, is that you are able to communicate in English and Castilian. You do not need to be fluent in both languages, but you should be able to explain how to get to nearest ATM or at what time the next session starts in both of them. Knowledge in further languages will definitely be a great advantage. In the instance that we have more volunteers than positions to fill, volunteers from our sister organizations and the sponsoring institutions will be given priority.

While there are a variety of tasks that need to be done, we have identified five major categories of volunteer duties.

Registration Volunteers: 

• Staff registration desk
• Hand out registration information and conference packs to pre-registered attendees
• Input on-site registration into registration database, print receipts and name badges
• Accept registration payment from conference attendees (only one volunteer will have this task per day). 
• Provide information to conference attendees

Session Room and Art Exhibition Monitors:

• Monitor presentation technology (laptops, data projectors, slide projectors, overhead projectors) in the session rooms as the sessions are in progress
• Trouble shoot equipment malfunction (replace projector bulbs, assure cords are properly attached etc.)
• Assist presenters with technology related problems
• Contact Technology Coordinator if malfunctions are serious so that it can be quickly and efficiently replaced
• Monitor room temperature to assure that it is at a comfortable level
• Monitor water and refreshment table
• assist at conference cocktail as waiter or bartender

Information Stand Monitors:

• Set up information stands and break down tables which are not staffed
• Restock booklets, brochures and similar on tables which are not staffed as necessary or after the staff has left for day. 
• Trouble shoot any needs or problems that the staff of the information stands may have
• Serve as liaison between Conference Coordinator and the staff in the information stands

Floater:

• Provide a variety of support to conference organizers during the conference
• Provide extra staffing at registration desk, session rooms, art exhiitions, information stands or wherever necessary.

Pre-conference Assistants:

• Provide assistance to conference organizers in a variety of tasks in the days and weeks leading up to the conference. Tasks can include supporting the organization with office work, administrative work and project work depending on their education, skill and background. 
• We anticipate that people in this category of volunteers will probably live/work/attend school or language courses in Mexico City during the pre-conference period. If you do not live in Mexico City, but would like to join our team as a pre-conference volunteer, we recommend you to sign up as a semester volunteer or to apply for an internship in AIDSinCULTURE.org or The International Society for Cultural History and Cultural Studies (CHiCS). [more information about internships in CHiCS and AIDSinCULTURE.org]