Volunteering at TEO events

Our great Top End Orienteerering events don't just happen. Each event requires some volunteers to ensure it runs smoothly and the more hands over the year the easier for all.

A range of tasks are needed to be done at each event. These include planning and organising the event (see below), but also helping with coaching, the administration desk, collecting controls, cooking sausages and setting and packing up.

Experience: No previous orienteering experience required.

Volunteer time: approx. 1– 2 hr and you still get to compete. Approx. 3– 6 helpers are needed for each event.

The most rewarding task at any event is that of the course planner. This is your chance to set a course and challenge your fellow orienteers. Have you been on a course and thought, "This would make a great spot for a control!", or even, "How do they decide where to put all the controls?". Here's your chance to learn how to set a course. Don't worry the club will provide an experienced course planner to guide you through the process and check your maps until you are confident. Then there are course planning workshops held by the club that will show you how to set a course and use the mapping software.

Experience: Ten or more events of orienteering experience recommended.

Volunteer time: allow 6 - 8 hours for planning a street map event (e.g. wet season series) and 8 - 16 hours for a bush map event (plus travel time). Expect to spend your time 50:50 on drafting courses and field checking the checkpoint locations. You need to get feedback from your organiser at the draft stage and get their help to field check control sites in the lead up to the event.

100 OY points earned for those competing for annual awards.

The organiser's role is to ensure the event runs smoothly and assist the course planner in setting up the event. This is an ideal task to get to understand what is needed at an event.

Experience: Ten or more events of orienteering experience recommended.

Volunteer time: allow 3–4 hours for street events and 4–8 hours for bush events. Most of your time is spent checking the course planner's draft courses and helping them put out checkpoints for the event, but you also need to organise permission from the council, Parks or other landholder several weeks in advance of the event, send event info to the publicity officer, and organise getting the equipment trailer to the event and getting maps printed/photocopied.

100 OY points earned for those competing for annual awards.

Feel free to talk with club members at an event. The coach on the day is a great person to talk to. Try arrive early for an event and see what needs doing or offer to collect some controls after an event. This is a great chance to see some other courses.

You can also contact the Event coordinator to discuss any task in more detail or see what needs doing in the upcoming calendar.