Chapter 2.4 - Specialist Guides
This guide forms part of the Blazing Swan Survival Guide, and we recommend reading through other areas to help with your preparation.
This guide is for anyone who attends Blazing Swan as a Volunteer with an aim of helping to support your gift of volunteering at the event.
Welcome Volunteer
Blazing Swan exists because people give their time, energy, skills and creativity to make it happen. From the first days of bump in to the final stages of pack down, volunteers help turn an empty site into a temporary city — and then return it to the landscape.
Volunteering should be a rewarding experience. It can be hard work, sometimes challenging, and occasionally exhausting, but it should also be an opportunity to learn, meet people, build connections and contribute to something bigger than yourself.
This guide explains what you can expect as a Blazing Swan volunteer, what is expected of you, and where to turn if you need information, support or help resolving a concern.
Whether you're volunteering for the first time or have been part of the crew for years, we want you to feel informed, supported and valued.
Your Rights and Responsibilities
Volunteering is a contribution of your time and skills. It doesn't mean you should be expected to work in unsafe conditions, tolerate inappropriate behaviour or take on responsibilities beyond your role.
Blazing Swan Incorporated (BSI) aims to provide a volunteering environment where people are treated fairly, understand their responsibilities and can raise concerns without fear of being dismissed.
As a volunteer, you should expect:
Clear expectations: An understanding of your role, responsibilities, commitments and who you report to.
Appropriate preparation: Relevant information, instruction and training to help you perform your role safely.
A safe environment: Reasonable steps to identify and manage risks associated with your volunteer work.
Respectful treatment: To be treated with dignity and without harassment, bullying or discrimination.
Support and supervision: Access to a crew lead or appropriate contact when you need assistance.
A voice: The opportunity to raise concerns, ask questions and provide feedback.
Relevant information: Access to the policies and procedures that apply to your role.
These principles are informed by good practice in volunteer management, including Volunteering Australia's guidance on volunteer rights and responsibilities.
Your responsibilities as a volunteer
Volunteers also have responsibilities to one another and to the wider community.
You are expected to:
Follow relevant BSI policies, procedures and reasonable safety instructions.
Understand your role and work within your training, skills and authorisation.
Treat other volunteers, participants and community members respectfully.
Take reasonable care of your own health and safety and that of others.
Communicate with your crew lead if you cannot fulfil a commitment or need support.
Report hazards, incidents and concerns through the appropriate channels.
Respect confidential information and other people's privacy.
Your department lead can help you understand which policies apply to your role and where to find them in BSI's document system.
Before You Volunteer
Before committing to a role, make sure you understand what's involved.
Ask your crew lead about:
Your responsibilities and expected time commitment.
Required shifts, training or qualifications.
Physical demands and working conditions.
Equipment, clothing or other items you'll need.
How to communicate with your crew.
What to do if you become unavailable or need to change your commitment.
Some roles require specialist skills, training or additional preparation. Others are suitable for first-time volunteers. If you're unsure whether a role is right for you, ask before committing.
If you have access requirements or other circumstances that may affect your ability to undertake a role, raise them with the appropriate contact so practical options can be discussed.
Safety, Health and Wellbeing
Blazing Swan takes place in a temporary outdoor environment. Heat, dust, uneven terrain, physical work, long hours and fatigue can all affect volunteers, particularly during bump in and pack down.
Look after yourself
Drink water regularly and take appropriate breaks.
Protect yourself from the sun, heat and dust.
Eat regularly and get sufficient rest.
Use appropriate equipment and follow safe work practices.
Let your crew lead know if you're unwell, exhausted or struggling with a task.
You should not undertake work you're not trained, equipped or authorised to perform. If something appears unsafe, stop and seek guidance rather than feeling pressured to continue.
Report hazards and incidents
Report injuries, near misses, unsafe conditions and other incidents promptly through your crew's reporting process. Your crew lead can help you identify the appropriate next steps.
For an immediate emergency, use the event's designated emergency procedures.
You don't have to push through
Volunteering can be demanding, but your health and safety matter. If you need a break, a change of duties or assistance, speak with your crew lead or follow the escalation process in this guide.
If your crew lead is involved in the issue or you don't feel comfortable approaching them, you can contact the next level of support.
Conduct, Conflict and Complaints
Blazing Swan brings together people with different backgrounds, experiences, expectations and ways of communicating. Disagreements can happen. Bullying, harassment, discrimination and other inappropriate conduct should not be accepted as an unavoidable part of volunteering.
If an issue arises, there are several ways to seek help, depending on its nature and seriousness.
Resolving a concern
Where appropriate and safe, you can start by discussing the issue with your crew lead. They may be able to clarify expectations, address a misunderstanding or help resolve a practical problem.
If the issue cannot be resolved, or you don't feel comfortable raising it with your crew lead, the escalation pathway is:
Crew Lead: Your first point of contact for day-to-day concerns.
Department Lead: The next step if your concern remains unresolved or requires a broader decision.
BSI Committee: Concerns can be escalated to the Association's Committee where appropriate.
Conduct Committee: If you want an independent review of a conduct concern, you can approach the Conduct Committee.
You don't have to follow every step before raising a serious concern. Where there is an immediate safety risk, suspected serious misconduct or another urgent matter, use the appropriate reporting or emergency channel.
The Conduct Committee
The Conduct Committee is a community-led panel that reviews concerns about conduct. It operates independently of the BSI Committee and comprises people with a variety of backgrounds and experience, helping provide a neutral viewpoint when concerns need independent consideration.
The Conduct Committee is separate from the normal operational management of the event. It provides a pathway for conduct concerns to be reviewed independently rather than relying solely on the people directly involved.
How to contact the Conduct Committee: [Insert approved contact details and reporting process.]
When raising a concern, provide as much relevant information as you comfortably can, including what happened, when it occurred, who was involved and whether any immediate support is needed. You can ask about the process before deciding how to proceed.
Volunteer Insurance
BSI maintains volunteer insurance arrangements intended to apply to people while they are undertaking their roles as volunteers.
For example, if you have an accident while carrying out your volunteer duties, you may be eligible for assistance with relevant medical costs under the applicable policy.
Insurance is subject to the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions of the policy. Coverage is not automatic for every injury, expense or activity, so it is important to understand the provisions that apply to your circumstances.
If you're injured or need to make a claim
Report the incident promptly through your crew lead or the appropriate event reporting channel.
Seek appropriate medical attention where necessary.
Record the details of the incident and retain relevant receipts or supporting documents.
Contact the designated BSI insurance contact for advice on eligibility and the claims process.
Insurance contact: [Insert contact name or role and contact details.]
Volunteer insurance information: [Insert the approved volunteer-specific policy wording or summary.]
You do not need to be provided with the entire insurance policy to understand the provisions relevant to you. BSI should make the applicable volunteer information available and explain how to obtain further details when required.
Support During the Event
Volunteering happens across different stages of Blazing Swan, including bump in, event week and pack down. The conditions and support arrangements may differ depending on your role and when you're working.
Your department lead is your starting point for understanding the arrangements relevant to your crew.
Before this guide is finalised, BSI will add confirmed information about volunteer facilities, food and water arrangements, rest areas, accommodation or camping provisions, transport, communications and other practical matters where applicable.
In the meantime, don't assume that facilities or services available to participants are necessarily provided to volunteers in the same way. Check with your department lead about what you can rely on for your particular role.
Looking after the people who make it happen
Blazing Swan depends on volunteers giving a great deal of time and energy. Looking after those people is part of creating a sustainable volunteer community.
If you're struggling physically or emotionally, speak to your crew lead or ask what support is available. The Wellness Team also provides services for volunteers at designated times throughout bump in, event week and pack down.
You are allowed to ask for help. You are allowed to raise concerns. And you should not feel that you have to sacrifice your health or safety to prove your commitment.
Feedback and Continuous Improvement
Every year, volunteers learn things that can help make Blazing Swan safer, more effective and more enjoyable.
If you have suggestions, notice a recurring problem or believe something could be done better, share your feedback with your crew lead or department lead. You can also use any formal feedback process provided by BSI.
Feedback doesn't have to be a complaint. It can be an idea, a practical improvement or an observation about what worked well.
If your feedback concerns the conduct of someone involved in the normal reporting pathway, you can consider the alternative escalation options described in this guide.
Useful Contacts and Resources
Prioritise:
- Keep these details accessible before and during your volunteer commitment.
What you need / Who to contact
Role questions, shifts or training - Your Crew Lead
Unresolved crew concerns - Your Department Lead
Matters requiring organisational escalation - Committee
Independent review of conduct concerns - Conduct Committee
Injury reporting and insurance claims - [Insert approved insurance contact]
Volunteer wellbeing services - Wellness Team / your Department Lead
Relevant policies and procedures - Your Department Lead / BSI document system
Urgent safety concerns - [Insert event emergency contact and procedures]
A Final Word
Blazing Swan is built by people who choose to contribute. Every role matters, whether you're leading a department, building infrastructure, welcoming participants or quietly keeping things running behind the scenes.
We want volunteering to be an experience where people feel respected, supported and able to do their best work.
Look after yourself. Look after your crew. Ask questions when you're unsure, speak up when something isn't right, and remember that the people making Blazing Swan happen deserve the same care and respect as everyone else.
Thank you for being part of it.