11 October 2008 from 6pm – 12 pm

Circus time

I worked at the Macabe Park tent front of house, circus cabaret and viva dance. We were taught the basics of front of house which consisted of being polite, collecting tickets, and most important safety procedures. We were given hardhats, a fire extinguisher and a chair and shown evacuation procedures in case the worst happened. Happily, the worst did not happen and the event went smoothly without any problems. Elena Kats-Chernin, performed a striking blend of tangos, rags, klezmer, blues and cabaret. Cirque Du Soleil's Natalie Harris was amazing. I was spellbound as she performed her aerial feats with courage and precision. She looked so at home in the air. Nick Rheinberger’s Galvanised Guitar had a uniquely Australian flavour. This excerpt of "Galvanised" is a preview of a show that will be performed at folk and arts festivals throughout Australia in 2009. Dancspace 383 was exciting and featured world class salsa champions.

10 October 2008 from 10.00am - 3 pm

Helping Out

Macabe park, put up flags, moved chairs, pioneer hall assisted with preparation for making the big kite and pinwheels, IMB tent with Thien helping kids to make kites, green room at cultural services providing access to volunteers staff and performers.
Occupational Health and Safety requirements were met as we had sunblock if we wanted it and bottles of water as it was very hot that day. What did I learn? I leaned that some kids are really polite despite the crowded conditions which surprised me as there was quite a crowd. I learned patience, obviously. I also learned how to make a kite.

09 October 2008 from 9.30 am – 1 pm

Info Booth

Another aspect of promotion is to set up an information booth where people can gain information before the event so that they can plan their weekend and hopefully attend more of the events than if they just turned up on a certain day and wandered around. This didn’t seem to occur to the general public who had minimal interest in asking for information. On the Thursday of the Viva La Gong festival Janice, Thien and I spent several hours at the information booth near David Jones talking to people who came for information about the upcoming event. Since nothing was happening until that evening we found it a challenge to generate interest in the upcoming event. Occupational Health and Safety requirements were met as we had chairs to sit on and plenty of water to combat dehydration. We didn’t have anything to combat boredom. Is boredom an Occupational Health and Safety issue? We did our best. Did we learn anything? We learned patience, fortitude and how to not be offended that no one seemed to be interested in talking to us?

30 September 2008 from 9.00 am – 5.10 pm

Distribution Day

An important part of organising an event such as Viva La Gong is the distribution of promotional material such as posters and event postcards to various shops in the suburbs of Thirroul, Woonona, Corrimal, Fairy Meadow, Figtree and Kiama. Paola organised a mini van and driver to take us to the various suburbs. Strategically, we were divided into pairs with each pair responsible for a suburb or if the suburb was small individually. We were dropped off for 30 – 40 mins to distribute promotional material and to chat about the up coming event with store owners. The only requirements for the task were enthusiasm, friendliness and physical stamina because there was some walking required. Mid morning we stopped at Thirroul and had coffee and cake/biscuits in the mini van. We had lunch in Wollongong before moving to Figtree Mall and Kiama. Were there any Occupational Health and Safety issues? We were provided with water and sunblock to combat dehydration and sunburn. Did we learn anything? We learned how to ask politely if we could leave some promotional material advertising Viva La Gong, how to deal with rejection when some said no and how to eat the yummy biscuits that supplied us with energy for all that walking.

Days Worked Viva La Gong

28/08/08 10.00 am – 5.00 pm

Cultural Services – adding volunteer details to database, putting together posters and pamphlets for distribution day, compiling information for volunteers, information meeting for distribution day

30/08/08 9.00 am – 5.10 pm

Distribution Day – met at cultural services 9am, delivered pamphlets from Thirroul to Kiama, I delivered posters & pamphlets in Woonona, Figtree and Kiama.

10/09/08 12.30 pm – 2.30 pm

Promotion – Unanderra & Warrawong with Paola, Monica and Christian

01/10/08 4.30 pm – 5.30 pm

Information Meeting

9/10/08 9.30 am – 4.30 pm

Info booth near David Jones with Janice and Thien.

10/10/08 9.30 am – 1.00 pm

11/10/08 6.00 pm – 12 pm

Macabe Park helped set up, put up flags, move chairs etc
Pioneer Hall helped cut paper for kite making & put up sign outside
IMB tent with Thien helping kids to make kites
Green room at Cultural Services building providing access to volunteers, staff and performers

Macabe Park tent front of house for Circus Cabaret and Viva Dance

Obtaining Work Experience

Paola Rodriguez, Volunteer Co-ordinator for Cultural Services, came to the class and asked us if we wanted to volunteer for Viva La Gong. She was so bubbly and filled with enthusiasm it made volunteering seem very attractive. She told us about all the kinds of jobs that needed to be done such as administration, bumping in and bumping out, Poster/Postcard distribution, assistant stage manager, information tent, workshop assistant and front of house. I decided to fill in the paper work she brought for us to fill in then and there.