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Volunteer Handbook

Volunteer Handbook

Contact Information

Purpose Contact
General Conference hello@djangocon.us
Code of Conduct conduct@djangocon.us
Volunteer Coordination Volunteer Chairs on Slack
Emergencies 911 for life-threatening emergencies

Note: Update emergency contact phone number for DEFNA board member each year.

Schedule Overview

Talks Days (Monday - Wednesday)

Time Activity
8:00 - 9:00 AM Registration
9:00 AM Orientation & Keynote
10:50 AM - 12:10 PM Talks (two tracks)
1:50 PM - 3:15 PM Talks (two tracks)
3:40 PM - 5:30 PM Talks (two tracks)

Note: Wednesday has a modified afternoon schedule with closing remarks.

Sprints Days (Thursday - Friday)

Time Activity
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sprints

Venue Rooms

Update these room names each year based on venue:

Purpose Room
Main Talks [Room Name]
Secondary Track [Room Name]
Speaker Green Room [Room Name]
Quiet Room [Room Name]
Registration Desk [Location]

Registration Desk Volunteers

Responsibilities

  • Check-in attendees and give them their badge
  • Explain photography policy:
  • Green lanyard: Photos are OK
  • Yellow lanyard: Please ask before taking a photo
  • Red lanyard: Do not take my photo
  • Offer masks and COVID tests (if applicable for the year)
  • Answer general questions while checking in
  • Direct attendees to sessions and facilities

Quick Tips

  • Badges are sorted alphabetically
  • Have a printout of registered attendees for backup
  • Know the basic venue layout to answer questions
  • Have Code of Conduct contact information handy
  • First day of talks is the busiest, especially morning

Session Emcees

About Session Emceeing

The session emcee role is an easy and fun way to contribute to DjangoCon. You help speakers feel welcome and ensure talks run smoothly.

Before Your Session (15 mins early)

  • Be in the talk room 15 minutes early
  • Feel free to use the green room at any time during the conference
  • Have your schedule and time cards (15/10/5/STOP)
  • Read the talk description so you can give a good introduction
  • Meet your speaker and ask about:
  • Pronouns and bio details to mention
  • Q&A preference (yes/no/how long)
  • Photo restrictions
  • Ask them to remove their lanyard before the talk

During the Talk

  • Track time carefully:
  • 25-minute talks = 20 mins speaking + 5 mins Q&A
  • 45-minute talks = 40 mins speaking + 5 mins Q&A
  • Flash time cards at 15, 10, and 5 minutes remaining
  • Pay attention and prepare 1-2 questions for Q&A

After the Talk

  • Start applause if silence hangs too long
  • If doing Q&A: Stand up and ask the first question (unless someone else is already heading to the mic)
  • This breaks the ice and gives the audience time to think of questions
  • For more on why this matters, see Russell Keith-Magee's post on asking questions
  • Give the speaker their gift (if applicable)

Q&A Script

"Thank you [speaker]! We've got a few minutes for questions now, so come to the microphone if you've got one. I would ask that you use this time only for questions directed at the speaker; please save your comments for after the recorded portion of the talk."

"Before we open up Q&A, we want to remind the audience to keep your questions short, on-topic, and respectful. If they're not, the speaker and Q&A moderator may cut you off or decline to answer your question."

Managing Q&A Issues

Issue Script
Too many questions at once "Please ask only one question at a time"
Comments not questions "We're looking for questions only. Save comments for later"
Running long "In the interest of time, I need to move to the next person"

Talk to the AV Team

Before your session, check with the AV team about: - Which microphone to use - Whether to move the mic stand for Q&A - Camera positioning considerations

If a Speaker Cannot Go On

If a speaker is unable to proceed (medical, personal, or other issue):

  1. Reassure them it's okay
  2. Consider these options:
  3. Extended Q&A with the preceding speaker (with their permission)
  4. Announce the cancellation and encourage the "hallway track"
  5. Notify conference staff immediately

Code of Conduct During Talks

Minor violations (e.g., a single inappropriate slide): - Do not stop the talk - Notify conference staff afterward for follow-up

Major violations (e.g., repeated derogatory remarks, pervasive inappropriate content): - Stop the talk: "I'm sorry, this presentation cannot be continued at the present time" - Contact conference staff immediately - Emergency contact: [DEFNA board member phone number]

Session Managers

Responsibilities

  • Check that there are enough speaker gifts for your slot
  • Ensure the correct speaker sheet is on top and time cards are in order
  • Know who your session emcee is and confirm they're ready
  • If no session emcee is assigned, you are the backup

Online Moderator Volunteers

Responsibilities

  • Monitor public chat for disparaging comments
  • Enforce the Code of Conduct
  • Act as a cheerleader for speakers after talks
  • Answer questions about the online portion of the conference
  • Participate in social events (meet & greets, etc.)

Staffing

  • Ideally 4-8 moderators at a time (2 per track)
  • Half-day shifts recommended

Training and Communication

All volunteers should:

  1. Review this handbook before the conference
  2. Join the #volunteering-at-dcus Slack channel
  3. Attend the volunteer orientation on Monday morning (8:00 AM at registration desk)
  4. Know who to contact for questions or concerns

Volunteer Expectations

If a volunteer fails to meet expectations (e.g., no-shows without notice, repeated issues):

  • Document the issue
  • If there's a reasonable excuse (illness, emergency), no action needed
  • For repeated issues without explanation, make a note for future reference

Additional Resources