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Volunteer Year-round

The Volunteer Office of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is pleased to work with a diverse team of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers who are passionate about film.  We offer a wide variety of volunteer opportunities to several specific teams of Year-Round volunteers who get involved in our many dynamic ongoing initiatives, in almost every department of TIFF.

Our Year-Round volunteers are an essential part of TIFF and have a unique opportunity to be exposed to cinema from across Canada and around the world. Our goal is to engage with a talented group of friendly, knowledgeable, respectful and professional volunteers and staff who are all invested in achieving with TIFF’s mission: to transform the way people see the world through the moving image.

DIFFERENT YEAR-ROUND VOLUNTEER PROGRAMMES AT TIFF:

Throughout the year, TIFF presents a number of exciting events and initiatives. Programmes and activities may vary year to year, but our Year Round volunteer teams help us organize, promote, facilitate and participate in many areas of TIFF. Within our wide range of activities, we offer different volunteer programmes and streams at TIFF, with separate application processes and various commitment levels. All of our programmes rely on the knowledge, generosity and talents of our diverse volunteer teams.

Current Year Round Volunteer Programmes include:

TIFF Year-Round Admin Team:

The TIFF Year-Round Admin Team is a skilled and exclusive group of volunteers who can be seen on the front-lines and behind-the-scenes, supporting our many TIFF Departments with day-to-day, administrative duties and events. Our Year-Round volunteers are vital and integrated with the myriad of TIFF activities that take place throughout the year outside of the Festival periods. Year Round Admin Team volunteer opportunities generally take shape in two different ways:

  • Casual volunteer positions – Our casual volunteer opportunities are best described as one-time tasks or projects that can usually be completed over a single volunteer shift. Most of these positions are administrative duties, such as assisting with mailings, entering or auditing data on a computer spreadsheet or database, office organization and inventory, filing and photocopying. Volunteers in these positions work closely with staff in various TIFF departments. Opportunities to volunteer at during single-day/night events such as the Student Film Showcase or Sprockets Teacher Preview nights, for example, also exist under this category.
  • Continuing volunteer positions – Continuing volunteers provide a substantial contribution of time and skills to a specific TIFF department of interest. A continuing volunteer works no more than eighteen hours per week for an indefinite or defined period of time. As a continuing volunteer, you have the opportunity to develop or hone certain skills and learn more about a particular area of TIFF. Some continuing volunteer positions we have hosted include: processing and compiling press clippings, conducting internet research, and providing ongoing administrative support to a department for the duration of a specific project or initiative.

As volunteers spend more time with the organization and become familiar with TIFF departments and staff, responsibilities can grow and new learning and professional development opportunities can become available

 

TIFF.Cinematheque Volunteer Usher Programme:

Cinematheque is a year-round screening programme dedicated to presenting the history of world cinema on the big screen in carefully curated retrospectives. Cinematheque volunteers are comprised of dedicated cinephiles who have an express interest in world cinema and film history.

During Cinematheque screenings, volunteers are responsible for: 

  • answering general questions about the theatre, Cinematheque and TIFF
  • checking, taking or tearing tickets
  • counting ticket stubs
  • controlling traffic flow and assisting with line-ups
  • ensuring that the cinema policies is enforced
  • performing some stage crew duties (i.e., placing microphones on and off stage, etc).

Learn more about TIFF.Cinemathque…

 

TIFF Marketing Street Team

The TIFF Marketing Street Team is a special and dedicated team of reliable, enthusiastic and community-minded volunteers who enjoy literally getting out on the streets and interacting with the public. The Marketing Street Team appeals to volunteers who have (or would like to have) a keen knowledge of their communities and a desire to talk about film programming to others; a background in Marketing or Film, has always been a welcomed asset too!

Marketing Street Team volunteers assist with the promotion of TIFF’s year-round initiatives by distributing TIFF marketing materials, liaising on behalf of TIFF to Toronto neighbourhood establishments and expanding our list of contacts in their areas. Each member completes approximately two distribution rounds per month during regular business hours, over a three-month commitment period.

To date, Marketing Street Team members have reached over 40 different neighbourhoods within Toronto and the surrounding area, spreading the word not just about our popular Festivals, but other highly-regarded TIFF programming such as Canada’s Top Ten, the Student Film Showcase, and the Sprockets Globetrotter series, to name but a few.

 

Reel Talk

Reel Talk is an extremely popular Sunday morning screening series that features some of the hottest films of the year, including Oscar®-calibre films, edgy documentaries, and the best that Hollywood has to offer. Every screening is followed by an open forum discussion with a variety of guests including filmmakers, critics, academics and more. The screenings take place two Sundays a month (once a month at two different Toronto venues), seven months of the year.

Reel Talk volunteers are an extremely dedicated and professional group of long-time, returning volunteers who assist with front-of-house duties at the screenings. They are responsible for greeting patrons, checking passes, answering questions, handing out promotional materials, ushering, and assisting with anti-piracy measures in the theatres.

Learn more about Reel Talk…

 

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO VOLUNTEER?

All TIFF volunteers are expected to be:

Friendly – Volunteers are representatives of TIFF and work extensively with patrons, staff and other volunteers. We expect everyone to be polite, friendly and respectful to each other... and most importantly to have fun!

Informed – You will be working under the supervision and guidance of a TIFF staff member or people who have extensive experience working with TIFF. We expect you to listen carefully to what they have to say. They are there to support you and help you to do the best work you can.

Committed – Within the guidelines of each volunteer programme, you will be able to choose when you will volunteer with us, as such, we expect a firm commitment. Once we confirm you for a specific assignment shift, we expect you to be there. We are counting on you to do a job that is important to the success of the department or event.

Professional – As a TIFF representative, you must not participate in self-promotion or autograph seeking or take pictures while on duty or while wearing your volunteer badge or uniform. The goals and mission of the organization come first.

Positive! – We want you to enjoy yourself and be surrounded by people who are also having a great time. We ask that you inform the Volunteer Office of any problems with your assignment or your volunteer experience.

Minimum Volunteer Requirements (All Year Round Programmes, as applicable):

  • Basic to intermediate facility with computers (PC or Mac), computer software and applications including: Internet browsers, email, Microsoft Office suite (Word and Excel especially), experience with relational databases an asset
  • Fluency in the English language and strong communication skills
  • Familiarity with administrative or office duties that generally require high attention to detail, sound organizational skills and good time management abilities and customer service skills
  • Flexibility, willingness and ability to work well with others and independently, as required
  • Help to maintain and ensure an environment of inclusivity and friendliness
  • An interest in film and history of cinema is preferred
  • Regular access to a computer with internet access is strongly recommended; all volunteers in a Year Round Programme are responsible for maintaining their volunteer schedules appropriately through their personal Volunteer Hub accounts
  • Additional skill sets, aptitude, background and experience, as specified and required – we seek to find volunteers of whose skills and interests will be the best fit for each and every position
  • For all of the Year Round Volunteer Programmes, preference is given to returning volunteers from our seasonal volunteer programmes (i.e., Festival or Sprockets) who have consistently demonstrated a high level of performance, reliability and involvement.
  • Some Volunteer Programmes (i.e., Cinematheque, Reel Talk, Sprockets Globetrotter Series) are available only to long-standing returning volunteers who are invited to join the programme), however we encourage all volunteers to inform us of their interests
  • Eligibility for the TIFF Year Round Admin Team requires regular availability to volunteer during and within TIFF office hours (between 9:30am to 5:30pm on weekdays, excluding holidays)

 

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED YEAR-ROUND?

We rely on a dedicated and flexible core team of year-round volunteers who are recruited or invited into the programme as required.  As such, our ability to accept new applicants into any Year-Round Volunteer Programme will always be contingent on availability of spaces.

The Volunteer Office will bring on new volunteers in the Year-Round Admin Volunteer Programme, in the weeks prior to each 6-month term as outlined below, whenever there are available openings.

Term One: approximate May 1st start to October 31 end

Term Two: approximate November 1st start to April 30 end

Openings in the programme are advertised first to existing/current/recently-active volunteers in good-standing who have volunteered at a Festival or recent TIFF event.  In the event of unfilled spaces, openings are advertised externally to new and prospective volunteers subscribed to the TIFF Volunteer Newsletter.

Year-Round Admin volunteers are expected to complete a minimum of two volunteer shifts per month for their set term, and are able to sign-up for the specific shifts they are most available and interested in by using our online scheduling portal, the Volunteer Hub (note that Volunteer Hub access is for current, active volunteers, applicants and prospective volunteers do not have access to the Volunteer Hub until they become recent, current or active TIFF volunteers in one of our volunteer programmes).

 

Applying to volunteer for TIFF.Cinematheque, Marketing Street Team and Reel Talk Volunteer Programmes:

Positions for these programmes are advertised first (and in some cases, exclusively) to existing/current/recently-active volunteers in good-standing who have registered and volunteered at one a recent TIFF Festival (i.e., Sprockets or the Toronto International Film Festival) or another TIFF event or initiative. Prospective volunteers can learn more here. 

 

HOW CAN I BE SURE THAT I WON’T MISS OUT ON UPCOMING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES?

The best way to stay informed about exciting volunteer news, announcements and calls for new volunteers is to subscribe to the TIFF Volunteer Newsletter. This is an email newsletter that is sent out by the Volunteer Office only whenever there are pertinent announcements, events or news that will be of interest to our previous, active or prospective volunteers.

The TIFF Volunteer Newsletter broadcasts announcements with volunteer recruitment information for our Festivals and other programmes whenever available, spotlights upcoming events, news releases, special offers, and occasionally even includes volunteer postings from other like-minded organizations or community partners.

You can unsubscribe from the list at any time, and your information will never be shared with other organizations.