Back in November 2018 I posed the following question on Twitter: How do you pay for a conference when not in a library job? What tips do you have for successfully applying for scholarships bursaries funding if outside of employment, on low pay, on career break without training budget or have partial employer funding? #libraryreturners

It’s not a theme that has gone away. At the start of the conference season a number of people took to Twitter to express how they had never been to a conference before. The reasons why were many. But they often came down to money.

A reply to my original query came from @wifilibrarian Volunteer this work at a conference. I agreed with the suggestion having already passed on my details to one or two organising committees. I’d previously been informed that they looked for event volunteers during conference season.

I’d missed out on a bursary to Manchester so I started looking ahead to day events, weighing up the factors, such as a reasonably priced fee, against potentially shocking travel costs and whether the event fell on a work day, knowing that I’d almost certainly have to use my own annual leave in order to attend. I wondered about the availability of travel bursaries.

A week before the CILIP Cymru Wales 2019 conference #CILIPW19 I received a message. Was I available to volunteer for the conference for the second day? I was scheduled to work. Thankfully my employer allowed me the time off, my line manager was able to cover my hours and I was to make a case for training leave.

What are the unique advantages of volunteering at such events?

I’ve attended professional conferences as a delegate and as an exhibitor. But this was the first time I had volunteered at an event. Like all conferences,

• You meet new people

Yet volunteering does have particular advantages regarding the way you are able to meet those people. My role was to staff the welcome desk, receive delegates and speakers as they arrived, give out name badges and welcome packs. I found that being the person at the desk attracted a number of people from the profession when they were at a loose end. So,

• You get to meet directly the organisers, speakers, exhibitors, and the staff working for our professional organisation.

This provided an opportunity for conversations about what was going on in my sector, or insights into someone else’s.

It is unpaid work – but the conference is free. This conference was small and my role brief but it was still a chance to pick up new skills.

• You get to attend certain sessions being offered throughout the day

And after I had covered the main duties it was possible to attend several of the afternoon sessions, for example the sessions by Claire O’Shea, Jools Morgan-Jones and Sam Scoulding. Presentations that have been shared with CILIP members can be viewed here.

Overall, I found my first volunteer experience a really positive one. Many thanks to @monstercymru for giving me the opportunity. If you were considering joining a committee, volunteering at a conference would be a great way to see if you would suit the group you were thinking of joining.

Why not give it a go?