Empire volunteer at Glastonbury Festival

On arrival at Glastonbury young people were excited to receive  a welcome package from the Festival, which included clothes, toiletries, snacks and all necessary camping equipment. 

The volunteer role consisted of  four, six-hour shifts during the weekend, where young people would refill water bottles of festival goers and sell the official bottle merchandise produced by Glastonbury and Water Aid.

They were accompanied by Empire staff Chris and Titus throughout the weekend. Titus said : "For every young person that came, this was their first Glastonbury festival. The Volunteering helped to include some structure in their weekend to manage the overwhelming elements of the festival. They were able to enjoy it and still moderate themselves by showing up in a volunteer role. "

And of the volunteering shifts themselves, Titus continued, "It was a good test, as all the young people required good social skills, customer service and time management. Everyone of them grew into their roles and developed these three attributes as the weekend progressed."

The sheer size of Glastonbury Festival, which received over 200,000 people over 1500 acres of farmland, can be daunting and overwhelming for many newcomers. Staff ensured young people felt supported and guided throughout the event, and having some structure around volunteering helped that.

On arrival some young people did present as a bit nervous, and didn't know quite what would be expected of them, but grew into it as the festival and their volunteering evolved. Titus pointed out : "There was a massive progression in confidence in how they all interacted with other volunteers and customers at the water bar, and indeed with eachother.

As expected at times emotions were high in an intense environment, but we all came through it really well, and it was a valuable experience for all and everyone bonded and we really enjoyed the whole thing, " he added.

The young people themselves found the experience challenging but highly valuable, and we're grateful for the opportunity presented to them.

One young person said of her experience, "It was very rewarding. Chris and Titus were great in helping us manage our schedules and stay safe while making work enjoyable. I enjoyed working with the team and building good team spirit.” 

Another added : “ Glastonbury has been a phenomenal experience. Meeting all the different festival goers at the water bar, it's something I'll never forget. Thank you, Empire Fighting Chance, for giving me the opportunity to experience my first festival."

And finally, one more stated :: “It was just another amazing opportunity I have been given with Empire Fighting Chance, it was so nice to be with the group helping out another charity. An experience of a lifetime that will stay with all of us forever."

Some real highlights at the festival included one young person being able to secure a DJ set infront of a big crowd; all staff and young people getting to meet actor and anti-knife crime campaigner Idris Elba; and some opportunities in marketing that were offered to one young person from networking at the event.

All in all there beyond the fun everyone had, there were some big positive outcomes from the whole experience. 

Titus explained: "The most important thing was that the young people had a good time experiencing the biggest festival in Europe, an opportunity they did not think they would ever get. 

Volunteering allowed the group to develop good career skills, they can include this experience on their CV. 

And each young person grew into the experience, overcame adversity or made an opportunity for themselves that made this trip a positive experience that will stay with them forever, after the festival is over. 

It's important for Empire to keep broadening the horizons of young people, offering new and unique opportunities, and demonstrating what's possible.

Well done to all the young people that volunteered at Glastonbury, and thank you to the staff for supporting them.

Stay tuned to our news page for any new events and activities to volunteer at  https://empirefightingchance.org/news-views/