{"id":5497,"date":"2026-03-19T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2026\/?p=5497"},"modified":"2026-03-25T16:33:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T15:33:53","slug":"the-wordcamp-europe-volunteer-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2026\/the-wordcamp-europe-volunteer-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The WordCamp Europe Volunteer Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In the second episode of WordCamp Europe Insights, host Kasia Janowska dives into the world of WordCamp Europe volunteers with Celi Garoe, a member of this year\u2019s Volunteers Team. Together, they unpack what it really means to be a volunteer at WordCamp Europe 2026 in Krak\u00f3w, how the small Volunteer Team manages hundreds of helpers, and why so many people fall in love with this role. Even if they only step in for a few hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve ever looked at WordCamp Europe from the outside and wondered, \u201cCould I actually do that?\u201d This episode is your invitation to say yes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What Does the Volunteers Team Actually Do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WordCamp Europe only works because of the people who give their time to make it happen. The Volunteers Team is responsible for recruiting, forming, welcoming, and supporting the volunteers who show up on the event days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, they turn \u201csomeone who applied online\u201d into \u201csomeone who knows where to stand, what to do, and who to ask when something unexpected pops up.\u201d It\u2019s a mix of logistics, communication, and community\u2011building – and it all starts with an open call that\u2019s currently live on the WordCamp Europe 2026 website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Volunteers at WordCamp Europe?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The short answer is: people from all over the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celi explains that the call for volunteers<\/a> is public and open to anyone who wants to help. Year after year, the team sees applications from Europe, India, Australia, Japan, the USA, and beyond. Many of them are returning volunteers – people who loved the experience so much they come back even when they\u2019re not in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That diversity is exactly what makes the volunteer experience so rich. You\u2019re not just helping at a conference; you\u2019re joining a small, temporary community that spans time zones, languages, and cultures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does the Call for Volunteers Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Anyone interested can visit the WordCamp Europe 2026 website, find the Call for Volunteers<\/a> page, and fill out the form. The form is open until the end of March; after that, the Volunteers Team begins reviewing applications and sending out welcome emails with next steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Submitting the form doesn\u2019t guarantee a spot – there are often more applicants than places – but the acceptance rate is very high. The team mainly looks for a WordPress profile (to confirm real community involvement) and, for visa\u2011requiring travellers, evidence that they\u2019ve started the visa and ticket\u2011purchase process early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once accepted, volunteers receive a free ticket as part of their volunteer package, which includes special t\u2011shirts and access to the same conference experience as any other attendee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Application to the Event: How Volunteers Are Prepared<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest fears people have is that they\u2019ll show up on the first day and feel completely lost. Celi is very clear that this is not the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the moment someone is accepted, the Volunteers Team guides them step by step: how to get to the venue, how to get their ticket, and how to join the private Slack channel where all volunteers gather. There are meetings before the event to introduce roles<\/a>, assign shifts, and answer questions. Then, at the venue, there\u2019s an on\u2011site briefing where volunteers meet each other, get a tour of the space, and connect with the teams they\u2019ll be working with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal is to make sure that no volunteer is ever alone in the middle of the action. The Volunteers Team is there – online and in person – throughout the event, ready to help with anything that comes up.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What Do Volunteers Actually Do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WordCamp Europe has many moving parts, and volunteers are woven into almost all of them. Roles include, but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n