NOC - Helping at Events

Nottinghamshire Orienteering Club

Helping at Events

As a small club run entirely by volunteers, NOC is heavily dependent on club members to help organise and implement all our activities and events. Our newer members often find volunteering a good way to meet others in the club and learn some key tips and tricks in the process!

The volunteering roles available are many but we find that less experienced newcomers benefit most by helping-out on event days. The event day roles are outlined below.

For members with some orienteering experience, we ask that they consider getting involved in mapping, event organising, or planning the courses for an event. Please read the brief summaries that follow.

Helpers

Helping at an event is on a two-shift system so everyone has the opportunity to have a run. In return for helping, members get a free run. Event helping is also a great way to get to know other club members too!

NOC has various event day teams. Members are asked to support a team and become familiar with what’s involved to deliver a successful event. It’s not a big commitment. All that will happen is that your team leader will be in touch to see if you can help at a specific event. If you are available, then you will be helping for no more than a couple of hours. The team leader will give a short code which gives a free run when signing up for the event. The time passes quickly and you will always be able to get your run as well.

If you are NOT currently a member of a team, please contact the Membership Secretary and we’ll be in touch to arrange something.

Teams

Car Parking

You’ll be providing a nice cheery welcome to people coming to the event:

Give instructions to drivers as they enter the parking area
If the courses involve a road crossing, marshal the crossing
Provide guidance to drivers if the exit from the parking area has poor visibility.

Enquiries, Download and Results

This smiley, proactive team is a key interface with participants and is involved in:

Set up and dismantling of tent/gazebo, banners, displays, computers
Providing information to competitors about the event
Advising newcomers on various matters including basic orienteering technique, use and allocation of hired SI cards
Supervise the self-drop car key system
Manage the download process.

Start

Helpers in this team provide the following support:

Mark and sign route from Car Park to Start
Lay out start boxes, control descriptions, maps, set-up beeper clock, etc.
Inform competitors of any specific hazards or map characteristics
Ensure starters punch the Clear, Check and Start boxes
Help beginners through the start process
Dismantle Start lanes, signage, tapes, and return equipment to organiser
Return Start list and Clear / Check / Start boxes to the Results team.

Finish

This team welcomes and directs participants to download:

Erect Finish banner and any necessary tapes
Mark route from Finish to Download
Supervise the Finish during the event when not located adjacent to Download
Return Finish SI box(es) to the results team, and all the other equipment to the organiser.

Control Collection

Once the courses are officially closed and all participants accounted for:

Receive instructions on which controls to collect
Collect controls and return them to the planner.

Event Officials

We encourage more experienced orienteers to join our pool of event officials:

Mappers

All event and POC maps need checking and updating to show current vegetation and changes made by human activities.

Organisers

This essential role involves co-ordinating all aspects of the event with Team Leaders, Event Officials and other Club Officials.

Planners

Planners design the courses to be run at an event. The level of input varies depending on whether it’s a local or regional event. Planners work in tandem with event Controllers to ensure all courses comply with required standards of safety and technicality.

Full training and mentoring is available for each of these roles. Joining the pool of NOC event officials helps to spread the load and ensure the club can continue to put on the volume of events required.

Please contact the Membership Secretary to discuss the the roles you are interested in.

HELPING AT EVENTS