Signing up for volunteer jobs at unclecalvins.org

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Using the online signup process at unclecalvins.org is the easiest, quickest way to sign up for volunteer jobs at Uncle Calvin's. It works equally as well for current volunteers as it does for those of you who are signing up for the first time. Just review these simple instructions, and you'll be on your way!

To signup online, you'll first need a volunteer ID and password. Your volunteer ID is usually your first name and last initial, such as JohnD -- the first letter of each capitalized as shown. Sometimes, if more than one of you have the same first name and last initial, the last part will include additional letters of your last name -- like JohnDo. The password you'll use is assigned to you depending on whether you are a new volunteer, a current volunteer, or one of our volunteer captains. Its the same password for each level, and not something you can change.

How do you get this volunteer ID and password, you ask? Well, for current volunteers, since we already know who you are and how to get in touch with you, you'll get an email from us telling you what they are! For new volunteers, you'll also get an email -- but first, you have to sign up with us! Refer to the instructions below for new volunteers on how that process works!

After you have your volunteer ID and password, then just enter them on the main volunteer page, and click Signon. From there, you can then pick a show to sign up for, or you can also view and possibly update your volunteer contact information or list all the volunteers -- goodies like that. There's more on each of those options later within this document.

New volunteers

Signing up to be a new Uncle Calvin's volunteer is easy and rewarding. You can do it all right here at unclecalvins.org, and then just show up at the show! We'll give you all the information you need ahead of time, and also put you in touch, if you wish, with one or more of our volunteer captains to answer your questions.

So how do you start? Well, first of all, you probably reached these instructions by clicking on a link from the main volunteer page on unclecalvins.org. You may want to start by reviewing the kinds of volunteer jobs we have available.  On the left hand side of that page, about halfway down, you'll see a link that reads View job templates.  Click on that link and you'll see a list of jobs for a "typical" show.  Check out the section below on job templates for more details.

If you are still interested, click the link Sign up as a new volunteer.  You'll be transferred to the volunteer details page. Here's where you give us your name, email address, one or more phone numbers, and your preferences for the kinds of jobs you'd like to work on and which shifts (early, middle, or late) you'd prefer. Don't worry, you can change all this information later, but give us what you can (name, email, and one phone number is required). Click Save, and if all is OK, you'll be transferred back to the main volunteer page.

Next -- and here's where that email address you just gave us is important -- you'll get an email from us confirming your registration, and, more importantly, giving you your volunteer ID and password. You can't proceed without this information, so watch your mailbox! Now, enter that ID and password on the main volunteer page's signon panel -- and watch how you capitalize the letters, please -- click Signon, and you'll get a message back confirming that you are signed on! If not, then check your spelling and capitalization. If those are OK, check out the instructions below on getting more help.

Now, you're in business! You can then select one of the upcoming shows to sign up for -- check out the next section of this document on how that all works. You'll also see a link along the left hand side of the page to modify your volunteer information -- also more on that later. That's all you need to know how to do!

As a new volunteer, there's a few things you won't be able to do yet on the site, but those things definitely won't stop you from anything important. You'll remain classified as a "new" volunteer until you've signed up for and worked a predetermined minimum number of months and number of shows (see current settings on Volunteer Main). After that, you'll then be automatically reclassified as "active", at which time you'll get a new email with a new password.

Active and inactive volunteers

Those of you who have volunteered for us before may or may not already be registered. If you are, you'll get a email from us (you probably already have), giving you your volunteer ID and password. If not, either signup with us as a new volunteer, or check below for getting help.

Those of you who are already registered have been either classified as "active" or "inactive", depending on how frequently you've volunteered for us over the last year (once or twice, most likely). Once inactive, you can become active again by just signing on and modifying your volunteer status (see the process for modifying volunteer information below). You have to be classified as active before you can sign up for a job.

Once active, you'll remain classified that way as long as you sign up for a predetermined number of shows over a given time period (see current settings on Volunteer Main). You'll be notified when you sign in if your status has been changed.

Viewing job templates

If you are not familiar with the volunteer jobs at Uncle Calvin's, this is the place to go -- you don't even have to sign on first. Click on the link View job templates along the left side of the page, and you'll see all the jobs that are available for a "typical" show (two breaks with an opening act). The list shows the job's ID (A1, B2, C3, etc.), area (setup, beverage, kitchen, etc.), timeframe (actual time or event -- set or break -- during the show), and the approximate time ranges. You'll also see whether a job is "partial" or "full" -- but more in the next section on that.

You can also select to see different job templates for different kinds and sizes of shows we present by selecting from the dropdown boxes at the top of the page. Most likely, though, you're not likely to care about that until you are ready to sign up for a job.

Signing up for jobs

Once you've signed in on the main volunteer page, you may then sign up for a job for a particular show. Select a show from the list on the main volunteer page, and you'll get a list of all volunteer jobs for this show. In addition to all the information on the View Job Template page, you'll see the volunteer ID of the person signed up for each job -- if any.

You'll see on the list of jobs that some are noted as "full" and some as "partial". If you choose a partial job, you'll need to pick at least one additional partial job to fulfill your volunteer commitment (during a non-overlapping timeframe, of course). Also, some jobs are noted with an "*", which means "with experience" -- so new volunteers are not able to sign up for those particular jobs.

You sign up for a job by clicking the Sign up link at the end of each job entry. Note that you may only select a job that no one has signed up for yet. You may also reselect a job that you've already signed up for -- for example, if you wish to remove yourself from the job. (NOTE: Volunteer captains may select any job, regardless of who is or is not signed up.)

After you select the job, you'll then see the volunteer signup page, where you can either signup for the job, or, if you are already signed up, remove yourself from the job. Just click Signup or Remove, and you'll be returned to the job listing page, where you'll see the result of your change. (NOTE: Volunteer captains may also pick from a list of new and active volunteers, in addition to themselves, to signup for the job. They may also remove anyone signed up for a job, in addition to themselves.)

Note that job signups through the web site are disabled at some point during the afternoon preceeding a show. This is so that the printed signup sheets we have at the shows will match the signups on the web site. You'll see a message to that effect on each of the volunteer pages, and you'll be prohibited from changing the signups. They will be enabled again at some point during the morning after the show.

Listing current volunteers

Active volunteers may choose a link on the left side of the main volunteer page to list all the volunteers we currently have in our database. They are listed in groups by status -- new, active, or inactive. Listed are names, emails, and phone numbers. You may also select the View/Edit link to check out all the information about a given volunteer on the volunteer detail page.

Modifying or removing volunteer information

The volunteer detail page is used to add new volunteers, to modify information on current volunteers, or to delete a volunteer completely who we no longer want to keep in our database. You may arrive at this page in several ways: by selecting the Sign up as new volunteer link, by selecting the View/Modify your volunteer information link, or by selecting View/Edit from the volunteer list page.

In either of the first two instances, you'll be looking at your own information, so you'll be permitted to either add new or modify existing information about yourself and click the Save button to update the database. Note that your name, email address, and at least one proper phone number are required. Also, you can delete yourself from the database here using the Delete button, but only if you haven't signed up for any shows during the current or previous calendar years. In leiu of deleting yourself, you can also change your status to inactive.

If you arrive from the volunteer list page, you can only modify or remove your own personal information, not someone else's. (NOTE: Volunteer captains may modify or remove any volunteer's information, in addition to their own.)

Still Questions?

If you still have questions, send an email to volunteers@unclecalvins.org or refer to the captain's contact information on the Volunteer Main page.