There are many ways to volunteer with the FGC Gathering, from a few hours at the event, to more advanced planning and organization. Some volunteer opportunities include work grants which allow for registration discounts.

Below are some of the volunteer roles at the Gathering. These vary from year to year.

The Gathering Steering Committee

The Gathering Steering Committee is responsible for planning the program of one annual Gathering and providing care for that Gathering when it meets. A new committee is constituted for each Gathering, starting in the Spring of the previous year. The Steering Committee is self-selected and includes members of FGC’s Long Range Conference Planning Committee (LRCP) as well as members recruited from meetings located near the Gathering site. 

Members of the Gathering Steering Committee:

  • Attend meetings of the Steering Committee (with occasional exceptions).
  • Serve on a subcommittee (including phone and email meetings).
  • Follow up on subcommittee and Gathering committee tasks, as agreed.

All sorts of skills are useful in the planning of The Gathering, and prior attendance is not a prerequisite to volunteering.

During the Gathering, the committee meets daily to hold the Gathering in the Light, to exercise care for the Gathering, and to address concerns that arise at the Gathering. Because members of the Steering Committee are heavily involved in the functioning of the Gathering, some Friends may not be able to attend these daily meetings. A core group of Friends from each subcommittee should attend every day. These Friends should be able to speak to their committee‘s work. All Friends participating in these daily meetings should remember that these meetings are often confidential and should not be discussed outside of the Gathering Committee.

Co-Clerks

Recording Clerk

  • Keep accurate minutes of Gathering Committee meetings

Gathering Subcommittees

All Gathering Steering Committee members are expected to serve on a subcommittee, with the occasional exception of the Recording Clerk.

Some subcommittees may require additional meetings, and all subcommittees undertake portions of their work by phone and email.

High School

  • Plans High School Program with coordinators
  • Reviews workshop themes
  • Centers community experience for high school students attending Gathering

Junior Gathering

  • Shapes format and content of Junior Gathering
  • Centers Junior Gathering as a Spiritual Community

Evening Programs

  • Chooses events and topics for evening sessions
  • Decides on plenary presenters appropriate to the theme and concerns of the Gathering
  • Provide one-on-one support to plenary presenters
  • With the Worship Subcommittee, coordinates ideas and concerns

Workshops

  • Selects workshops for the Gathering based on the needs of Friends
  • Serve as liaisons to workshop leaders
  • Plan interest groups
  • Process evaluations following Gathering

Worship

  • Helps plan all-Gathering worship events
  • Organizes worship sharing activities
  • Identifies and supports the Bible Half-Hour facilitator
  • Provides overall support to the Gathering as a spiritual community

Adult Young Friends

  • Plans programs and activities for adult Friends aged 18 (who have finished high school) through 35

The Adult Young Friends Subcommittee plans programs and activities for adult Friends ages 18–35 who have finished High School.  It consists of Friends appointed by the AYF Program at the Gathering.  It does not meet at the first (spring) meeting of the Gathering committee.  The AYF Coordinators serve as clerks and are appointed by AYF business meeting.

Volunteers and Work Grants

The all ages in-person Gathering will only be possible with the support of volunteers. Work grant positions are essential to the success of the Gathering AND are a way for volunteers to help cover their fees. Typical work grants range from $200 to $400 for 3 to 6 hours of daily service. A number of work grants are listed below – the number indicates the percentage it covers of Gathering Basic Fees (program fee, lodging, and 3 meals a day.)

For the roles below, you can volunteer when you register for the Gathering. You will receive an email with more information if you receive the role. Indicating your interest on the form doesn’t confirm you in the role. For Junior Gathering and High School staff roles, a separate application is required.

Work grants are most appropriate for adults (18 years and older, and not in the High School program) who have previously attended the Gathering. In most cases, we advise first-time attenders to request scholarship assistance instead of work grants. The exception is Junior Gathering work grants, which are open to first-time Gathering attenders.

Gathering Work Grants

Access Needs Coordinator (90%) Coordinate the assistance offered to Friends with access needs, such as mobility, hearing, vision, chemical sensitivity, or other disabilities. Provide information, accommodations, and assistance.

Access Needs Team Member (50%): Assist Friends with mobility, hearing, vision, chemical sensitivity, and other disabilities to access all Gathering programs by providing information, accommodations, and assistance.Bookstore Assistant I (40%): One person needed prior to the Gathering for setting up the bookstore. This is a physically demanding job that requires lifting boxes of books. Once the books are laid out on the tables and categorized, it includes setting up visually-appealing displays. This person should be good at sorting an organizing.

Bookstore Assistant II (40%): This person works the Bookstore during the Gathering, ringing up sales and assisting customers. At times, the Bookstore gets very busy. This person should be comfortable managing credit card sales and should have a willingness to be trained in new technologies. They should be pleasant, attentive to detail, and efficient. This work grant role does not conflict with morning workshops or evening programs after 7 p.m.

Bulletin Editor (90%): This is a daily job. Before the Gathering, this person reviews the bulletin submission form, updates it, and provides instructional text on “How to Submit Material” for the Daily Bulletin. During the Gathering, this person collects submissions, confirms notices of meetings, screens items for appropriateness based on Gathering policies, and edits items as needed. Working with a printer and troubleshooting technology may be part of this role. Working in an active, multi-use office with background noise may be part of this role. This person meets with the Events Staff each day to review the draft bulletin.

Check-In Coordinator (50%):  This person prepare and trains volunteers who help with Gathering Check-in.
They also manage the Check-In process, which happens on the first two days of the Gathering. This person should be organized and good at directing others to tasks. They should be inventive, able to improvise if circumstances come up that are not ideal. The Check-In Coordinator keeps an eye on the big picture (the flow of people) and stays focused on key details.

This role will include working in a noisy environment with lots of people moving. Staying calm, positive, and focused in a busy space is important for this role.


Childcare at Pre-Gathering (40%): As part of a small team, this person provides care for children whose parent/sponsors are participating in a pre-Gathering event or serving as volunteers. This role requires childcare experience and participation in FGC child safety background screening. It may include submitting clearances per the state in which the Gathering is held.

First Aid (50%): This person staffs a First Aid station for 1-1.5 hours per day, ready to respond to medical emergencies. This person must be CPR certified. Their location is advertised to Gathering attenders, and they may also be on call to offer medical advice when medical incidents happen. This person should have general medical knowledge, a sense of calm in crisis, and sound judgment.

Food and Dining Coordinator (50%): This person works to address the needs of Gathering attenders who have special dietary considerations. This role involves working 1-on-1 with a number of people who have different access needs. Good customer service skills are important for this role.

Housing Assignment Team (40%): This team works prior to the Gathering during a weekend in June to make Gathering housing assignments. The team is made of three people. Working on complex logistical needs is important for this role. A willingness to start and restart a project may be important for this role.

High School Counselor (100%): This role is for Friends who want to devote their Gathering to a wonderful group of High School Friends.  This role includes living in the High School dorm. Training for Counselors begins Monday morning. Learn more about this role.

Historian (50%): This role is a writing and synthesis role for someone who writes the Gathering recaps. The recaps include notes for each day, quotes describing people’s experiences, and highlights from the plenary sessions. This role may include holding short interviews with individual Friends to ask them about their experience. Prior to the Gathering, the Historian assists with posting signage on campus. This person should be:

  • perceptive
  • observant
  • curious
  • a full-time attender
  • good at writing and synthesis
  • comfortable asking people questions.

Walking on hot days may be required. The Historian work grant may be combined with the Photographer work grant, if one applicant has the right skill set for both roles.


Information Desk (40%): This person works 3-4 hours per day at the Information Desk, answering questions from Gathering attenders. This person should be comfortable working in loud environments and assisting people 1-on-1 with orientation or access needs. This position does not include mornings.

Junior Gathering Evening Support Staff (40%): This person works Wednesday-Saturday from 6:30 pm-9:00 pm. They also attend training for their role, which happens starting at 10:00 am on Tuesday. Learn more about this role. For a similar role, see Childcare at Pre-Gathering.

Junior Gathering Morning Support Staff (50%): This person works Wednesday-Saturday from 8:30 am-noon. The Morning Support Staff also attend training for their role, which happens starting at 10:00 am on Tuesday. Please note that this role conflicts with morning workshops. Learn more about this role. For a similar role, see Childcare at Pre-Gathering.

Lend-A-Hand Coordinator (60%): This person takes the lead on organizing the Lend-A-Hand Table, about 4 hours a day. The Lend-A-Hand Coordinator, with the help of an assistant, is responsible for soliciting and organizing volunteers throughout the week of the Gathering. This includes:

  • carriers of trays during meal times for those who are physically challenged, who have small children, or for any other reason they need help;
  • ushers for beginning and ending worship as well as the evening plenaries;
  • Junior Gathering helpers, for clean-up/set-up at the beginning of the week,  clean-up/pack-up at the end of the week and during the week as requested;
  • volunteers to set-up and take down chairs for outdoor concerts as scheduled and requested;
  • help with luggage at Check In and again at departure;
  • Friends to help pack up the bookstore and office and load boxes into the truck (Friday afternoon and evening and Saturday morning)
  • people to sit at the Lend-A-Hand table.

The Coordinator should be in contact with Gathering Subcommittee clerks prior to the Gathering to start to collect needs for volunteers. Sunday and Monday early housing costs (but not meals) are waived for the Coordinator but not for family members.

Lend-A-Hand Assistant (25%): Expected to work about 3 hours a day. Monday housing costs but not meals are waived for the Assistant but not for family members. There are no assistant responsibilities prior to arriving at the Gathering site.

Office support at Gathering (40-50%): This person answers questions from Gathering attenders in person, by email, and by phone. Using Google Voice, retaining log-in credentials, and working in loud environments may be included in this role. Ideal office staff are good at problem solving, like helping people, and are able to use database software and spreadsheets. Office shifts are at the same time each day, Wednesday-Saturday. Shifts are available in the morning, early afternoon, late afternoon, and evening. 

Photographer (50%): This person will spend much of their time in the People of Color Center, photographing highlights. They may also move actively among workshops, youth activities, outdoor activities, and plenaries to capture the Gathering in photos. They will take a combination of candid shots and posed shots.

Experience with DSLR cameras is required for this role. The Photographer will be responsible for basic edits to their photos, such as cropping and brightness, as well as culling out duplicate photos. FGC provides a DSLR camera (Nikon 3400) for the Photographer to use.

In addition, the Photographer serves as part of the team that posts signage on campus prior to the Gathering. The work includes walking, bending, and stamina in hot weather. The Photographer may be required to arrive at Gathering one day early to post signage.

The Photographer should be artistic, mobile, and courteous, with a strong sense of balance and composition. They must be a full-time Gathering attender. This person will receive brief coaching during the training as well as an overview of which participants have opted out of photos. The Photographer work grant may be combined with the Historian work grant if one applicant has the right skill set. To apply, please send a portfolio of your work to johannaj@fgcquaker.org


Workshop Leader (50% per workshop, co-leaders determine how to divide the work grant): This person or team leads a workshop at the Gathering. Workshop leaders submit an application for their workshop to be considered, which happens 6-10 months before the Gathering itself. This role requires facilitation experience, prior Gathering attendance, and an ability to adjust plans as needed. Applications are closed for 2026.

last updated 3/25/2026

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