Welcome!
Thank you for your interest in supporting Zendo Project at Burning Man 2024. Below you’ll find general information about the event, volunteer positions, as well as answers to your frequently asked questions.
Important Details & FAQ
Your Ticket
To volunteer for the Zendo Project at Burning Man, you must purchase your own ticket! You can find ticketing information by visiting the Burning Man ticketing website.
You will let us know your ticket status on your confirmation form.
If at the time of completing your confirmation form you did NOT have a ticket, and then later acquire a ticket – please respond to your acceptance email with “I HAVE A TICKET” so we can update the system.
The deadline to confirm that you have a ticket is August 11th.
Shifts & Schedule Commitment
Zendo Locations at Burning Man
There are two Zendo locations at Burning Man. One at 3 o’clock (3&C) and one at 9 o’clock (9&C).
Volunteers may be scheduled at either of these sites.
Shift Timing
If you’re extra awesome, you can choose the option to volunteer for a third shift.
Shifts begin on Monday, Aug. 28th at 6pm and conclude on Monday, Sept. 4th at 5:30pm.
The final shift on Monday, Sept. 4th from 11:30a-5:30p is a teardown/strike shift where the Zendo is no longer accepting guests and is in all-hands-on-deck operations to pack up the Zendo.
There are four shifts per day:
SUNRISE: 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM
DAY: 11:30 AM – 5:30 PM
SUNSET: 5:30 PM – 11:30 PM
OVERNIGHT: 11:30 PM – 5:30 AM
Shift / Schedule Rules
All volunteers will have two 6-hour shifts.
You may not have more than one shift in a 24-hour period.
You may not have more than one sunrise shift.
One shift must be an overnight. One shift must be during the weekend.
You may not have more than 4 total shifts.
Shift selection will be emailed to you after July 21st.
Roles Within The Zendo
The Zendo Project requires many roles to operate.
The main volunteer roles are:
Greeter [GT] – welcoming guests into the space & engaging in conversation with people who are interested in the Zendo Project
Sitter [SR] – holding space for guests who are seeking support
Logkeeper [LK] – keeping tracking of lots of moving people and parts using an iPad to update data
Logistics [LS] – assisting with things that help the space run smoothly including infrastructure, fueling our vehicles and hearts, and communicating with other departments
Medical Triage [MT] – assessing Zendo guests to make sure they are medically safe to be in the space (medical certification required, EMT or higher)
Pulse [PS] – work alongside the Pulse Lead to support the well-being of the Zendo Project volunteers throughout the event by offering peer support and resourcing for volunteers
Shift Lead [SL] – providing support to volunteers and guests; maintain overall operations of guest flow (previous experience & Zendo coordinator approval required)
Supervisor [SUP] – overseeing the Zendo space: supervising and supporting the Shift Lead, delegating tasks when needed, ensuring the overall quality and functionality of the environment, sitting for more challenging guests, and responding to calls in the field when necessary. (previous experience & Zendo coordinator approval required)
Coordinator [CO] – overseeing the overall Zendo operations at events by supporting the Supervisors, ensuring the quality and functionality of the Zendo space, working on high-level operational issues, and collaborating on protocol updates when necessary. Primary point of contact for Burning Man and law enforcement agencies
While being a Sitter is what many people think of when they think of Zendo Project at events, there are many key roles in addition to a Sitter that make the magic of Zendo happen. This year, we are changing things up a bit to support team cohesion and flow within the Zendo.
One of these new changes is that volunteers will have the same role for all shifts which allows for more support from Supervisors and Shift Leads and more opportunities for team building and establishing a connection with fellow volunteers. It also allows for specific training and mastery of an assigned role.
Additionally, there are some important changes for volunteers who sign up for the Logistics role. The Logistics volunteer role supports key operations including refilling supplies, caring for the space, and communicating with other Burning Man departments. Volunteers who sign up for this role or for a Teardown/Strike role, which helps us break down the Zendo structures on Monday after the burn, will be invited to camp in our Work Support Camp in the 3:15 sector. More details will be provided upon acceptance of your application.
We do our best to assign you to the roles you indicated preference for in your application. However, before you confirm your position, it’s important to understand that support roles such as Greeter or Medical Triage are just as vital to the Zendo’s ability to care for guests.