“Fancy carrying a cable?”
Harbour LAN runs entirely on volunteers' time. If you can spare an hour a week, there is a job that suits you and a kettle with your name on it.
“What a volunteer does.”
Cable crew
Arrive at half past five, help lay the network, set out the long tables and check every power board. It's the best seat in the house for learning how the room works, and the cable crew gets first pick of the chairs. You don't need any technical background; the first job is carrying, and the second is learning which end of the cable goes where.
Kettle minders
Keep the tea corner stocked and the mugs washed, welcome people at the door and point newcomers to a seat. You don't need to be an expert at anything except patience. Many kettle minders began as newcomers who liked the tea and stayed to look after the corner.
Referee's helpers
On league nights, keep the ladder up to date, note down match scores and help the referee find a quiet corner for any disputes. You'll see how a fair result is made, from the inside, and you'll be first to hear who is on a winning streak.
Writers and photo editors
Draft a guide, tidy a photo, proofread a post for the guides editor. You can do it from home between nights, and you'll get your name on the page if you'd like it there. It's a good fit if the tabletop shelf is more your style than the network.
“From offer to first shift.”
Say what you can do
Send the contact form or mention it on a night. An hour a week is plenty, and so is one night a month.
Pick a job
The organiser will suggest two or three jobs that fit your time, your temperament and your fondness for early starts. You're free to swap after a few weeks.
Shadow a regular
Your first shift is spent beside someone who has done the job before. By the end of the night you'll know where everything lives.
Keep it light
Tell the organiser if your roster changes, because the kettle can wait. Nobody is ever signed up for more than they offered, and a break is always fine.