Volunteer Guidelines

Welcome to Amber Burn, where we are the creators, the participants, and the volunteers!

Where imagination knows no bounds, where self-expression is celebrated, and where community thrives. This is the place to showcase our talents and passions, create, celebrate, and share love through being our authentic selves (as long as you respect others).

While volunteering, we become an essential part of making the event happen and play a vital role in its success! Volunteering provides an opportunity to meet and make friends with like-minded individuals from all walks of life while fostering new friendships and connections. But most of all, volunteering promotes our personal growth as we challenge ourselves, learn new skills, and gain a sense of accomplishment through a memorable burn. It is highly rewarding, and everyone’s help is really important. Do not miss a chance to enrich your experience.

Amber Burn is an official Lithuanian regional Burn event. The 10 Principles of Burning Man are descriptive, not prescriptive; they are the guidelines for how we, as a community, are building the world for ourselves and how we seek to live in our daily lives.

The 10 Principles of Burning Man:

RADICAL INCLUSION. Anyone can be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect strangers. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.
GIFTING. Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift-giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.
DECOMMODIFICATION. In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.
RADICAL SELF-RELIANCE. Burning Man encourages the individual to discover, exercise, and rely on their inner resources.
RADICAL SELF-EXPRESSION. Radical self-expression arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others. In this spirit, the giver should respect the rights and liberties of the recipient.
COMMUNAL EFFORT. Our community values creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote, and protect social networks, public spaces, works of art, and methods of communication that support such interaction.
CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY. We value civil society. Community members who organize events should assume responsibility for the public’s welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. They must also assume responsibility for conducting events in accordance with local and state laws.
LEAVING NO TRACE. Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them.
PARTICIPATION. Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart.
IMMEDIACY. Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience.

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CONSENT. It’s outside the famous 10, yet extremely important for the community. As participants and volunteers, we are in a great position to model ‘ask first’ behavior: whether it’s a potential sexual encounter, physical touch of any kind, something requiring permission that will radically alter the experience of another person, or recording someone’s image or voice, you are responsible for getting verbal consent before engaging in it.

SO HOW CAN YOU VOLUNTEER AT AMBER BURN?

After you successfully register and get your ticket, you will get an email with a link to volunteer sheets where you can choose where you wish to help and sign up. Pick a shift(s) and sign up to participate in. Shifts are usually 3–4 hours long, depending on the department. Some participants sign up for one shift per day; others do more. Any amount of time you spend volunteering is appreciated.

Team leads will contact everyone who signed up for their teams with further information. That could be: volunteering tips and guidelines; the next team meeting and/or training sessions online or live; and any specific questions or help that might be needed. You might have a few meetings with your team before and/or during the event.

Also, you can always sign up to volunteer during the event by just coming to the Info Point and checking out available spots. There is always a place for some helping hands, and it is a lot of fun!

RECOMMENDATIONS

Choose 1-2 teams: It’s always better to start small and then go for more if it feels right. When signing up for shifts, think about sleep, food, and rest, and leave yourself enough time to play. It’s up to you how many shifts and teams you would like to be part of.
Show up: Show up for your scheduled shift 15 minutes before it starts. This way, the volunteer swap can be smooth, and the previous team will be able to introduce you to the latest updates and news. If you decide to volunteer and have chosen your shifts, know that your team counts on you. Remember, every shift you sign up for but don’t attend means the responsibilities get piled on someone else.
Be sober: Come for your shifts sober—no ifs, no buts. Taking care of others means that you should have a sharp mind and be able to react adequately to any situation.
If you can’t make it: If something happens and you are not able to take your shift, please let us know by contacting your team lead or the Info Point. Ideally, we will be able to find a replacement for you. Also, it would be great if you would take a replacement shift.
Volunteering with kids: If you come to Amber Burn with kids, you can and should volunteer together. For example, as a greeter, at Info Point, etc., there are plenty of choices. It is a way for kids to stay active; both of you can learn a lot of new things and meet other participants and families too.
Embrace “Do-ocracy”: The Participation and Civic Responsibility principles mean that we operate in a Do-ocracy. If you see other ways things could be done, volunteer to make them better.
You want to volunteer but can’t decide. Follow the Immediacy principle and volunteer on the spot! Visit the Info Point, where volunteers will inform you about the “Burning Shifts” (available daily shifts) based on the requests from different teams.
Returning volunteer: As a returning volunteer, you already have knowledge of how things work in Amber Burn. You can either be a part of the same team, choose a different team, or become a crew. The Lithuania Burners community is active all year. If you want to become a part of the crew or just want to know more about it, don’t hesitate to contact us at hello@lithuaniaburners.com.

FRIENDLY REMINDER

As stated before, radical self-reliance is one of the 10 Principles of Burning Man. Keep this in mind while volunteering, which requires your energy and good spirit. Please make sure you get enough sleep, drink enough water, and bring your food and drinks, lights, warm clothes, a rain jacket, comfortable shoes, etc.
If your shift is during the day, you might need sunblock, shades, a hat and extra water.
If your shift is at night, you might need a headlamp and lights. It might get cold at night, so be prepared.
Bring Your Own Cup (BYOC)! You never know when a burner friend surprises you with some lemonade or coffee!
Take anything you might need to the Burn. There are no vendors at the event, and there is no possibility to buy anything.
Respect your fellow volunteers and participants.
Rest, eat, drink a lot of water, and be self-reliant.
Show up for the shift you have chosen and be sober during all your shifts.
If you have any questions, head to Info Point.
If something happens, let your team lead, Ranger, or anyone around you know.
Respect art and nature.
Leave No Trace and minimize the impact to the surrounding area.

EARLY ARRIVALS, BUILD, AND STRIKE

BUILD: The build for this year’s Amber Burn will start on June 26. The plan is to build the framework and set up the infrastructure of Amber Burn City. Everyone who is interested in this part has to register for an Early Builders Pass and get a confirmation. An Early Builder registration form will be sent to ticket holders at the beginning of June.

EARLY BUILDERS (EB): There is nothing like seeing a City rise before your eyes; for some, it may be the peak of self-expression. And it’s not only a City that is being built during this time—deep connections, friendships, trust… Some burners say it’s the best part. Some even don’t stay for the actual event.

IMPORTANT:

No one can enter before the gate opens on July 4 at 12:00 (midday) without filling out an Early Builder form and getting confirmation. Event tickets are still required.
The EB volunteers will be invited according to actual building needs and your availability (the more time you can gift at the location, the more likely you will be invited).

STRIKE: So we have built the City, had our event, and then what? Just pack and go back to reality, to the usual Monday morning? Nah, we know a better and less painful way to end this magical experience: we stay for a few more days and calmly tear everything down, pack, clean, burn, de-moop, and restore the surroundings to their initial state (or make it better, cos “Leave No Trace”). Strike is the most tender, sweet, and gentle part of the event; we reminisce about the good times, share laughs and hugs with those who understand, sometimes shed a few tears around the fire, and take our sweet time before getting back home.

PROGRAM: YOUR GIFT TO AMBER BURN CITY

Volunteering does not end with building and maintaining the city. Knowledge sharing, entertainment, and play are big parts of Amber Burn. If you want to teach a new skill, gift a workshop, organize a mosh pit, cook a meal for fellow burners, present a performance, or build a naked human mandala, to name only a few, the form for gifts to the program will be announced soon.

Don’t worry if you only get the idea during the gathering. Many great ideas are born out of inspiration from the people you meet at the location. It is still possible to share your art, experience, and knowledge; just drop by the Info Point and add your gift to the program on the spot.

COMMUNICATION CHANNELS FOR VOLUNTEERS

Discord is the main communication channel.

Facebook group: Amber Burn participants!

If you have any questions, contact us at hello@lithuaniaburners.com.

Always remember that the most important part of volunteering is enjoying it! Have fun!