Frequently asked questions

Applications to join us this summer have now closed.

Once we've allocated places from the current round of applications, we may still have spaces available at some festivals – in which case, we'll re-open applications for those festivals. Keep an eye on this page, and join our Festival Volunteering Facebook group, for all the latest updates.

We don’t ask you to choose exactly which roles you'd like to carry out. Instead, we ask all applicants if they’re happy to carry out roles that include:

• cleaning
• cleaning toilets
• walking long distances as part of the hygiene crew
• night shifts
• volunteering in a women's urinal area (these roles are only available for women and non-binary people).

NB: most of our roles involve cleaning – especially at Glastonbury, where over half our roles include cleaning toilets or urinals – as well as talking confidently to festivalgoers about WaterAid.

We offer roles based on your answers to questions in the application form, taking into account your preferences, relevant skills and experience, and previous support for WaterAid.

If your application is successful, we'll send you further details on what your role entails, and training to ensure you can carry it out successfully.

We welcome applications from disabled people, and there's space in the application form to state any adjustments you need. You can also get in touch with us on [email protected] or 020 7793 2244 if you'd like any further guidance or support in completing the application form.

You must be at least 18 at the start of the first festival you apply for. You will be asked to confirm this as part of the application process, and will need to show photo ID on entry to the festival.

You can apply if you're 17, as long as you'll be turning 18 before the start of the first festival. Make sure you check the festival dates carefully and enter your date of birth on the application form.

Volunteers' children

For insurance and health and safety reasons, only WaterAid volunteers can access our campsites. If your children are at the festival, they must:

• remain under the care of an appropriate adult for the festival duration,
• camp in the public camping area (not in the WaterAid campsite),
• avoid visiting you alone or for extended periods of time whilst you're volunteering.

All of our festival volunteering opportunities are based in the UK. Certain visa restrictions apply for volunteering in the UK, so please check your visa allows you to volunteer, as we are unable to support volunteer visas. By applying for our festival volunteer team you are confirming that you have a right to volunteer in the UK, and we may be in touch for proof of your visa.

If you’re offered a place, we'll email you with:

• confirmation of the festival(s) you’ve been offered a place at,
• details of the role(s) you’ve been offered,
• a link to accept or decline your place, and pay your deposit (£150 for new Glastonbury volunteers, £50 for returning Glastonbury volunteers and all other festivals).
• a deadline by which you must accept or decline your place.

Please respond either way, so we're able to offer your place to someone else. Once the deadline has passed, your offer will be cancelled and your place will be offered to someone else.

Yes: on accepting your role, you'll need to pay a refundable deposit through our online payment system to confirm your volunteering position with WaterAid.

Deposits are £150 for new Glastonbury volunteers, and £50 for returning Glastonbury volunteers and all other festivals.

If you're volunteering at multiple festivals, you'll need to pay one deposit per festival.

Read the volunteer deposit terms and conditions (PDF) for full details.

We operate a refundable deposit scheme to: 

• ensure we have dedicated volunteers who commit to attending the festival with us and carry out the role they have agreed to,
• ensure we're able to deliver our services onsite to an excellent standard,
• contribute to costs incurred on the rare occasion where a volunteer doesn't adhere to the volunteer agreement.

If volunteers don't complete their shifts, or drop out after the deadline and we are unable to replace them, this could impact negatively on WaterAid’s reputation and relationship with the festival, and potentially on any donations we receive. 

As many of the festivals we work at are sell-out events, we have a duty to safeguard the passes allocated to our team as part of our partnerships.

And it's essential that we cover our costs, as part of our fundraising promise and our commitment to working with communities around the world to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene a normal part of daily life.

For these reasons, on the rare occasion that a volunteer drops out after the deadline, or doesn't complete their shifts, we will keep their deposit, in accordance with the deposit terms and conditions (PDF).

Please ensure you're fully committed to volunteering with us before accepting your place!

After the festival, if you've completed all your shifts in accordance with the volunteer agreement (PDF) and deposit terms and conditions (PDF), we'll email you with details of how to receive your deposit back, or donate some or all of it to WaterAid.

If you don't adhere to the volunteer agreement and deposit terms and conditions, we reserve the right to keep your deposit.

If you’re unable to attend the festival having already committed to volunteer and paid your deposit, you must notify us as soon as possible.

Notifying us before the deadline

If you let us know by the deadline communicated in your acceptance email (30 days before the festival arrival date), we'll return your deposit for that festival, minus a £25 administration fee. This fee will apply regardless of the reason why you're no longer able to attend, including reasons that are outside your control. This is to ensure we can recover some of the administrative costs associated with processing replacements.

Notifying us after the deadline

If the deadline has passed, please do still let us know, so we can arrange to cover your position at the festival. As it becomes very difficult and costly to replace volunteers, we won't be able to refund your deposit.

Read the deposit terms and conditions for full details

We welcome applications from disabled people; please get in touch with us on [email protected] or 020 7793 2244 if you'd like any further guidance, or need support to complete the application form.

Reasonable adjustments

There's space on the application form to state any adjustments you may require to carry out your voluntary role with us, which might include:

• having the option to camp in the accessible campsite if preferred (subject to availability),
• providing you with a chair,
• adjustments to shift and/or break times,
• providing materials in alternative formats (e.g. large text),
• lending you camping equipment,
• supporting with the transport of equipment from the car park to our campsite,
• providing financial support for expenses and deposits.
   

Festival access teams and personal assistant (PA) tickets

Most festivals have a dedicated access team, and we can contact them to discuss any specific needs.

We're unable to arrange personal assistants but if you have a PA, most festivals provide them with free tickets, and we won't ask them to pay a deposit. PAs will need to complete our online application process, agree to all terms and conditions, and complete all training.

You can find out more information about access at each festival by checking their websites.

Yes, you can apply with up to three people you'd like to volunteer with.

There's space on the application form to list their names and dates of birth – take care to enter these correctly, and please check with them that they're definitely applying before you submit your application!

Applying as part of a team or with family doesn't guarantee everyone in the group a place; we'll assess all applications on individual merit.

Once you've been offered a place, we'll try our best to place you on a team with your friends and family but can’t always guarantee this.

As part of our safeguarding processes, we require satisfactory references for all our festival volunteers and work with our referencing partner, Credence, to obtain these.

If we need you to provide the details of referees, you'll be prompted to do so as part of the online application process.

If you've already provided us with references in recent years, it's unlikely we'll need to ask you again

Types and details of referees

We require the details (name, occupation, email address and phone number) of two referees, both of whom will need to comment on your suitability to represent WaterAid at a festival.

Ideally, we ask for your first reference to be from either a current employer (line manager or equivalent) or a current educational institution (teacher, tutor, or equivalent).

For your second reference (or if you don't have either of the above reference types), we will ask you to provide the details of:

• a previous employer from the last three years (line manager or equivalent),
• a current volunteer manager,
• a representative from a professional body such as a club or association (e.g. Rotary Club, community or faith group),
• a recognised professional within the community (e.g. a teacher, solicitor, or doctor). See the UK Government's list of acceptable professions for countersigning passport applications.

If you're unable to provide two of the referee types listed above, then unfortunately we won't be able to proceed with your application.

Family members or partners cannot act as referees.

We will keep your references for as long as you are an active festival volunteer, and then for three years after you cease to volunteer. An active volunteer is someone who has volunteered at a festival with WaterAid within the last two years. References will be held securely.

We want our volunteering opportunities to be accessible for everyone, so if you feel money is a barrier to you volunteering, please get in touch with us by emailing [email protected], or by calling 020 7793 2244. We can then discuss ways we can support you, which might include:

• setting up a payment plan for your deposit,
• lending you camping equipment,
• additional help with expenses,
• anything else that we could do to support you to volunteer with us.

All volunteers will be provided with at least one free meal per shift whilst volunteering, and up to £35 towards travel expenses.

Yes – you must complete a series of online and in-person training sessions before starting your first shift.

This includes:

• an hour-long online training module, covering essential information about WaterAid and our work, safeguarding, and health and safety (completed at your own pace),
• a 1.5-hour webinar covering details about your festival and role-specific training,
• an on-site health and safety briefing,
• on-site role training at the location you’ll be volunteering.

We’ll send you full details of the online training sessions and webinars once you’ve accepted your place. Please complete them as soon as possible – we won’t be able to send you your festival ticket(s) until you’ve done so!

If you don't complete your training by the deadline given, your place will be withdrawn and your deposit will not be refunded to you, as per the volunteer agreement.

Talking passionately and confidently about WaterAid and our work is a key part of most of our volunteer roles at the festivals. We'll provide you with basic information in your training, but we also encourage you to spend some time reading about our work to tackle the water, sanitation and hygiene crisis.

If you're not as confident about talking to the public, or would prefer a role where you do not need to do this, then please email us on [email protected] to discuss.

Once you've accepted your place by completing your online acceptance form and paying your deposit, we'll be in touch in the run up to the festival with updates via email.

Please carefully check the arrival and departure dates and times before applying – you must be available for the entire duration of the festival as, due to the size and complexity of our operations, we may need to move shifts right up until the day of the event.

You must stay on-site for the duration of your shifts, and you must camp with the WaterAid team.

If your application is successful, we'll confirm full arrival details in advance, and will share your shift times and rotas once you arrive. We're unable to accommodate requests for specific time off.

You'll be able to leave the site after your last shift, once you've signed out with the on-site volunteer management team.

You will need to arrange your own travel to and from the festival. We recommend public transport as a quicker, cheaper and more environmentally friendly option. All festivals have coaches leaving from various locations around the UK, which drop you at the festival. Shuttle buses also run to/from local train stations.

We have a limited number of car parking passes. If you're offered a volunteer place you’ll be able to state on your acceptance form if you’d like to request a parking pass. We'll let you know after you've confirmed your place if we're able to offer you a car parking pass. If you do drive to/from the festival, we strongly advise car sharing with other WaterAid volunteers for environmental reasons, and to ensure we have enough parking passes for our volunteers.

Please check the individual festival websites for further information on all transport options. If you accept a volunteer place, we recommend booking your transport as soon as possible after you have accepted your place and paid your deposit.

We can provide a contribution towards your travel costs of up to £35 per person – please only claim this if you need to.

After the festival, we'll send you an expense claim form to complete within 30 days.

If you travel by public transport, you'll need to provide receipts to support your claim. If you travel by car, we'll need to know the names and email addresses of any WaterAid volunteers who share with you. We'll pay a rate of 45p/mile, up to a maximum of £35 per volunteer in the car.

All expenses will be paid by BACS (direct to your bank account) by the end of October 2024.

Depending on the festival, we'll provide you with either:

• vouchers to use at the crew catering, or
• an expense allowance towards a meal on each day you have a shift (to be reimbursed after the festival).

We'll confirm the exact arrangements for food and expenses before the festival.

Many of our roles involve the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene services at festivals, as this helps us raise awareness of these global issues as well as vital funds!

You will be on the same role the throughout the festival, and will not be able to swap roles with other volunteers. You will be sent a training guide tailored to the role you are undertaking, as well as receiving specific on-site training.

Find out more about the types of roles available

If you have further queries about our roles, please get in touch with us at [email protected] or on 020 7793 4594.

Our teams volunteer for approximately 6 to 8 hours a day (not including travel to and from your shift), spending a maximum of 24 hours over the festival volunteering. We sometimes have teams which are required to volunteer overnight.

We will share your rota and shift times with you at the festival.

You will be able to list up to three friends or family members that you are applying with on your application form. We try our best to place friends and family in the same teams or at the same shift times, but please bear in mind that this isn't always possible.

Yes – the WaterAid areas are open in all weather conditions, and most are outside. In some roles there are areas to shelter, but you should expect to be prepared for all weather conditions, so please bring suitable clothing (waterproofs, warm layers, and a hat) and footwear (sturdy, closed-toed and comfortable shoes) – we'll send you a suggested packing list before the event.

We actively promote the good health and safety of all our staff and volunteers; as part of this, we're committed to providing as safe an environment as possible for all our volunteers.

Our COVID-19 guidance

• Volunteers will need to follow any government guidance and rules in place at the time of volunteering.
• Due to the festival environment being in a setting with increased interaction with members of the public, we encourage all volunteers to be fully vaccinated and, if possible, to limit risk of spreading the virus by taking a lateral flow test (LFT) before coming to the event.
• Staff and volunteers should not attend any event if they are unwell and/or experiencing any COVID-19 or flu symptoms.
• All staff and volunteers will need to comply with any extra measures put in place by event organisers.
• While at the event, particularly while on shift, it’s important that all volunteers wash or sanitise their hands regularly.
• Gloves must be worn and disposed of properly while carrying out any cleaning, or handling any used personal protective equipment.

See the Festival Volunteering Health, Hygiene and Safety Policy for more information.

Glastonbury

Due to the scale and complexity of our operations at Glastonbury, unfortunately we can’t allow volunteers to swap their roles or shifts.

Other festivals

At other festivals, it may be possible if you’ve found someone to make a direct swap with – get in touch with us to request this and we'll try to accommodate your request.

For insurance and health and safety reasons, all WaterAid volunteers must camp in the crew-only secure area.

If you have friends or family camping elsewhere at the festival, you will still need to camp in the WaterAid campsite, and unfortunately they won't be able to join us in this area. We'll let you know further information about the campsite and facilities nearer the time of each festival.

Yes – at a minimum, you'll need a tent, camping mat and sleeping bag. It can get quite chilly at night, so please make sure you bring enough warm clothes/sleeping gear to stay warm and dry. We'll send you detailed information about what to bring with you nearer the time.

As space in our campsites is limited, we ask that you bring as small a tent as possible, or share a bigger tent with other WaterAid volunteers – we want to make sure all our volunteers have enough space for their tent! Space is particularly tight at Glastonbury.

Gazebos are not permitted in any of our camping areas.

No – unfortunately, live-in vehicles aren't permitted in the designated WaterAid camping areas.

The only exception to this is at Camp Bestival, where it may be possible to bring a live-in vehicle – we'll be in touch with Camp Bestival volunteers about this nearer the time.

We take the welfare of our volunteers very seriously.

At Glastonbury, we have a dedicated safeguarding and welfare team who are available 24/7 to support you. At other festivals, there's a duty manager on call at all times.

Most festivals will also have dediated welfare and harm reduction services on site, alongside medical services.

You can find out more about the services available at each festival on their websites:

Glastonbury welfare information

Boomtown welfare information

Shambala welfare information

Camp Bestival welfare information

Yes. Shortly after each festival we will send volunteers an online survey to complete, so you can tell us what went well and what we can improve on. The results will be used to feed into planning for future years.