People on Filk_UK use the word "volunteer" like a swear word: "I almost used the v-word!" they say, as if it were something filthy. I know that there is a certain amount of light-hearted joking involved with this usage, but here's the key - the people who talk like this? They actually *don't* volunteer to do anything.
You can currently count active filkcon runners on the fingers of two hands, I think. And that might be counting some people who have silently sworn, "never again!" to themselves, but haven't let it be known publicly. Some of us have been forced to temporarily retire due to family commitments - Tim and I, Phil and Lissa, Mike W., Brian and Dawn (I assume - I only have 2 to their 3, and find those two make it impossible!)... But it just doesn't seem as if new people are stepping up to the plate.
It is nothing unusual for a filkcon these days to have 140+ members. Some of them are children, and some of them are the harrassed and overworked parents of those children. But that's still an awful lot of people who *could* be doing something and aren't.
I wonder if it is because of this unconscious acceptance of the fact that it is somehow funny to *not* volunteer. As if doing nothing was somehow... cool. I also take issue with the fact that after every UK filkcon, there is inevitably a big discussion on Filk_UK about the mistakes that the concom made. I know we are mostly english, and running down our fellows is practically a national past-time, but honestly... I remember Quinze, run entirely by conrunning first-timers. It was, IMHO, one of the best scheduled and day-to-day run conventions I have been to. But what was the discussion about? Their novel use of timer cards to keep performers on time, thus preventing overruns? No. Their thoughtfulness about providing extra spaces for listeners during loud program items, allowing people to participate but not get overexposed to volume? Nah. The heating system in the hotel? Oooooh yeah. The fact that the program room was too hot. Endless conversation about it. Leading some people to say that the program room was too small (we'll gloss over the "always unused seating" issue, shall we?). A hundred positive points, but all the discussion focussed on the one bad thing. *sigh*
Argh!!! No wonder people use the "v-word" like that!
But here's the kicker: filk isn't a business. Filk isn't a charity. The people who run cons are not an employed elite. We are all part of the same *community*. It isn't a "them and us", situation - it is an "us and us" situation. If we want to carry on having filkcons, and meeting up with our friends, we all need to actively participate in it.
So volunteer to do something this year. Running a convention isn't *hard* - it just takes a bit of time, and the ability to have meetings with other concom members. There are people out here who have done it and are *more* than happy to help out with advice and a little practical help. If you don't want to run a convention, than think about hosting a housefilk, or looking around your local neighbourhood for event venues. Just help to run things a little bit.
We can't all be Rafe, or Lissa, or Minstrel or Gytha or any one of the people who have done so much over the years to build this community. But we can all do a little bit. And we can all stop using the word "volunteer" like it's dirty. Volunteers have helped to create this community that I love and feel at home in. I'm proud to have been one for a bit. Circumstances preclude me volunteering again right now, but when the kids are grown, I will do it again, and with great happiness.
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Comments
I used to volunteer for a local gencon, and quit because it felt so thankless.
In fact I have sort of stopped because the kids situation has outweighed those benefits for the moment, but being me I'm running with other things - I sent out the first e-mails today in a project to hopefully bring some of the tapes of old that are long out of print into availability on the Filk Archive. And it is only for the moment - I do expect to run cons again, enthusiast that I am.
Like Annie I encourage everyone to think about what they can do and get out there and start doing it.
Oh, and if anyone is currently thinking about making a bid to run the main UK filk con in 2007 please could you mention it? People are Getting Concerned :-)
Inspirational thought for the day: This is YOUR fandom. You own it. You treasure it and pet it and call it George.
(or did I get a little off tack there? Hmm - post midnight - better get to bed before my brain dribbles...... out......... my........... ears.............)
And lots of little things do add up. Of course, it still needs someone to RUN the thing
Actually, 2 first-timers and 1 with some previous experience. But thanks for the kind words. =:o}
For some weird reason I feel that if I'm enjoying something that is volunteer run, and benefitting from it, that I really ought to contribute on some level. And if I would like to see things improved, or even changed, then volunteering is the only way to do that effectively. But anything that people offer to do is so welcome. We sometimes forget to be gracious about it.
Personally I have chronic active volunteeritis. When the kids were little, they were kid related things, and changed as they got older. I'm very grateful that we discovered fandom only after they were into their teen years. For parents, fandom will be still there in ten years, but your child won't be a child...
The final disconnected comment is that there is one and only one reward for volunteering at cons: watching other people have fun because of you. Being at a dead dog where people just can't bring themselves to leave; being at the one con in four or five that magically gels into SOMETHING MORE, a parallel universe of some sort; and knowing that it's partly one's own doing. That's the reward. It's wonderful. And those people who snag on petty things -- especially petty things that aren't even under the con's control -- are not worthy of much thought.
I remember with no regret at all, the four years when the FKO concom consisted of Howard, Dave, Heather and me -- and Heather didn't have a phone. Any help at all then would have pure gold. The con survived was we nearly didn't.
I haven't helped run a filkcon (although this is subject to change without notice), but I've been working on WindyCon, our Chicago regional of 1200-1500, since the early 1980s and have chaired it twice.
Here's the great thing, though: a few compliments from your peers (the other folks who run cons) can offset a tremendous amount of negative feedback from those who don't.
In that spirit, I've certainly enjoyed the two British filkcons that I've attended. :)
Encouragement, the willingness to look for ways to put it a little bit of help/work towards a mutually desired common goal (cons etc), and the actual volunteering are something we could use more of - the more the better, even when there's "already enough".
But, if I'm *there*, I'll try to help if asked.
Does this make me a *bad* person ? I think not, so long as you accept I'm Nyrond and therefore irredeemably lazy.
Con running is great fun, I've done it once. It is very time consuming especially as chair with first timers for the rest of the committee, but there are always people to help.
I haven't offered my services again for a couple of reasons, the main one being that I also help with tech at the con.
Is there actually any dearth of people who won't help? Harmuni 2007 is being run by people with not much experience (one wasd on a Harmuni before), I know several others who would like to do it but they have Real Life(tm) things in the way. I don't see any lack of people interested in helping with tech or artwork. Not everyone has the skills to be on a concom, some know it in advance and some only learn it when they make themselves (and/or the rest of the concom) miserable. I know that there are very few people I would want to work with on a concom, partly because I would like to still be friends with them afterwards (there are a number of filkers -- and other fans -- who I love as people but I know I couldn't stand for that long that intensely, and no doubt many feel the same about me).
People do help in lots of ways that aren't actually running the con. People who turn up early to set up the room and help with tech. People who bring stuff. People who help at the con when asked (or without being asked if they find that something "just needs doing"). People who baby-sit and entertain children. People who do tech, and shifting instruments. If I had to put a percentage on the number of people who "do stuff" at filkcons I'd put it at more like 50%, and because most of it isn't obvious they don't get thanked at all. In mundane organisations it's usually nearer 1%...
As far as "the v-word" is concerned, it's an in-joke which is not unique to filk or even fandom. Anyone who has been anywhere around military people knows "never volunteer". The SCA has the phrase "insufficient reluctance" (a.k.a. "didn't run fast enough"). It's not even a British thing, the same is true at least in the US and Germany. And the people who use it most are generally the ones who do actually volunteer, often under loud protest.
It's actually more of a distaste for wanting to be seen to push yourself forawrd. If other people 'volunteer' you, that's fine, but saying "I want to do this" is seen -- by those who do it more than by those around them -- as something like boasting.
[continued]
Yes, there is indeed a disproportionate amount of brickbats rather than bouquets (what /is/ a brickbat?). And yes, this can put people off, particularly when some people treat anything which isn't exactly to their liking as a personal insult. On the other hand, most of us get very uncomfortable with too much praise -- if everyone had lauded Quinze to the skies I for one would have been very embarassed and uncomfortable. It would be nice to have a balance, but as with everything else "Utiopia is not an option".
And again, this isn't something unique to filkfandom. You should see the moaners about Eastercons, the number of people for every venue and concom who say "I'm not going there / to a con they organise again!". My attitude is "Fine, since anything anyone does will piss off someone they can just stay at home or run their own con if they don't like it". As you said, it's a volunteer activity, and as some of us say about another Committee (UK Usenet), if you want to pay us the going rate (for conventions that's several hundred pounds per attendee per day, typically) then we'll quit our day jobs and put all our time into it and do all the things you want.
I remember someone bemoaning the lack of con filk tapes and saying that the recording team should have to sign a contract that they would produce a "rough mix" within a month and have the tape out within a year. I suggested that they could pay my working rates, in that case -- 40 pounds (plus VAT, England expects every man to pay her Duty) per person per hour for the 30 hours or so at the con plus the same for mixing etc. They shut up...
Filk is, as far as I can see, better than 'mainstream' fandom though. Filkers do tend to understand usually that things aren't perfect. Mainstream fandom is better than most mundane organisations. We do have a culture of people contributing to the community, not merely being audience "to be entertained" (enshrined in the phrase "We don' need no steenkin' tickets!" -- fannish conventions have members, not attendees, memberships not tickets to a concert). Not that it's perfect but see my aside about utopia...
However much babysitting and instrument shifting that people do, we *still need a concom* for every convention we wish to have. It's a simple fact of life. If we end up with 140 instrument shifters and no concom, the conventions stop.
I understand about the concept of everyone giving what they feel capable of giving, but at the end of the day we need people to step up to this plate and start thinking about the next filkcon. I'm not alone in being slightly concerned that I've not heard any rumours about who is thinking of running 2007...
And, FWIW, I agree with you about the "good enough for filk" phrase. Drives me nuts.
After Quinze, which I enjoyed doing, I nearly left filk altogether because a certain number of people were so negative **about things that had not been mentioned during the con**, as well as accusing the concom of having chosen the hotel purely for their convenience.
Were we not moving to the furthest reaches of the realm, North Wales, next year I might take on another one. (I still might once we're settled.) I don't know whether I want to subject myself to that kind of abuse though.
Thank you Annie for your help after Quinze and your kind words now. I still think we did something pretty damn good that year!
That happens a lot. People complaining about things when it's too late to fix them, which could have been fixed in an instant if they'd been mentioned at the time.
If I move out of London, of course, the SWiGGLes (at least at the archery club) will, alas, cease, and if I have more time/energy I might well be inveigled sooner rather than later! :-}
Then there are those who have been there, done that and had such a bad experience that they do not want to do it again. SMOFs pushing them will likely result in them digging in deeper and in some cases leaving to avoid it (I'm not aware of any cases in filk of the latter, although it wouldn't surprise me, but I do know of cases in mainstream fandom of people being pushed too hard and leaving completely because they aren't willing to put up with the hassle).
And as Soren said, some of us take volunteering seriously and will not volunteer when we aren't certain that we can do it. It's why I volunteer for tech at cons, where I know that if I'm in a foul mood and swear at the equipment it won't mind (and may work better!) but won't volunteer for green room or gopher, you really don't want bits of GoH scattered over the room (but I do say that if I look as though I'm not busy and you need something done, feel free to ask and I promise that I won't bite your head off for asking, just be prepared to accept 'no' as the reply if I'm not currently capable of doing whatever it is).
And that feeling isn't down to a shortage of conrunners. I remember having the feeling in the late Eighties. when there were plenty of large conventions.
If you want to get people to volunteer, you have to get them involved. How many attendees at the filk con (allowing for family-shared access to mailing lists or zines) are actually reading material suych as this? How many convention attendees have more contact with the community than the convention and ats publications?
It also depends on people's past experiences. I don't do organised volunteering such as gophering at cons due to past problems - but if I see someone carrying something heavy I'll grab one end.
Nobody expects me to do these things but I do it because I enjoy it. It's fun. There is no better high than seeing your friends have fun because of something you did.
I think people are creatures of habit - those who have a habit of volunteering, - not unlike say giving blood - do so and those who haven't done it - well it doesn't enter their mind coz its not in their habit of behaviour. Sometimes people need reminding.
Perhaps a thing in the program -
"Got a spare few minutes? - are you filked out?, don't fancy the next program and want to avoid spending money in the dealers room? - Why not go to the desk and ask if ther is anything you can do to help? It might just mean getting some tea for the techies, minding a child - whatever?"
You know - bulding a positive friendly image for volunteering.
Anyway your post has reminded me and I will volunteer for things I know I can do at this and future cons.
Thats another thing - thinking about what one can do and what one cant - I can MC, take some time at the tech desk, helping shift stuff etc. I'm not so good at time with my diary, committee meetings, efficiant paperwork, following what people say for any great length etc. But I shouldn't let my fear of the latters stop me thinking of the formers.
Thanks again...
I won't list the people I have worked with and say who swore never to work with who again as that would not serve any useful purpose, although it might be amusing. So I'll say I think I am down to Grey_lady and possible Catalana. This isn't just limited to Filk, my serving on an Eastercon committee had the same sort of effect, one of the friendships never really recovered.
The plan is to bid for either 20 or 21 with a committee consisting of just Grey_lady and myself. This is of course dependent on who we both work for, whether we are still UK resident by then and how long Janet says never again aftet 1812tone.
I doubt Janet will want want to do 18 and 19 and I am not really looking to alienate another set of friends by being on a committee with them.
Anyone else?
The HarmUni committee is the first concomm I've ever been on, but not because I've never volunteered to be on others or help out with others. I had sort of guessed that this committee was the only one desperate enough to have me.
The wonderful thing about the whole HarmUni thing is that you can give it a different set of eyes with different experiences. The thing that you uniquely bring to the job is YOU.
It's great to hear that you are around and helping out. Makes my little heart sing :-)
Complexity.
Many people are afraid to volunteer because previous efforts are so complex and structured that they seem impossible to do unless you have infinite time, infinite experience, and zero stress.
When we set up GAFilk to take over for MusiCon, we specifically looked at the exhaustion we had seen in the faces of Lee and Kathy and others in trying to run a filkcon with a small number of local volunteers (heck, Kathy was coming down from Chicago!) and so close on the heels of the holiday season.
We made the decision that GAFilk would be as laid back and relaxing as possible so that we could avoid those problems.
Now, GAFilk has gotten more complicated than we had hoped, simply because it has gotten popular and we need to split jobs in order to handle the growth - we added a full Dealer's Room, for example, and split Treasury and at-con Registration.
We still maintain a single track of programming and at least try to tell everyone that all other activity is their own responsibility - seems to work, we're going strong 8 years into it and expect to be going on for many, many more years.
When I volunteered to run the filk at WorldCon, I made it very clear that it would not be as full a programme as
For UK18, the bulk of the work so far has been done by
What is this really leading to? I'd suggest that perhaps if it is difficult to find someone to step up for 2007 that 2007 be declared a "relaxacon" year. Someone just get the hotel and the space and handle reg. Let the whole weekend be programming-free, just a bunch of filk circles. That's about the minimum you can do - it gets everyone together, resets expectations so those on a learning curve don't feel so much pressure, and - most of all - it continues the streak.
I'd volunteer to do it, but I think I've used up my good-nature points with the people who are doing all the real work ...
The work in running a filkcon isn't is setting up the programme. It is finding a hotel, booking it, taking memberships and sending out PRs. I think the C14 programme was roughed out over a single meeting. The hardest work was done by Catalana and Bardling notifying everyone of when they were on so that nobody arrived to find they were double booked or surprised by what we had them down to do. Running a relaxicon would remove that bit of the work but I think we were the first UK filkcon to do that anyway.
On the day additional bodies can always be found to spread the at con work out. It is the leadup which causes people to hesitate, or at least that is my expectation.