Volunteer Management of the Hi Seoul Festival

Volunteer Management of the Hi Seoul Festival

For the success of a festival, effective volunteer management is axiomatic. Given the dramatically increased size and quality of festivals and events in Korea over the past fifteen years, the importance of effective volunteer management has been overlooked among festival organizations in comparison to similar festivals in western countries. This paper provides a description and an assessment of the Hi Seoul Festival 2009 volunteer program based on an seven-step ideal process of an effective festival volunteer program with suggestions for the program development by reviewing organizational documents, and an interview with a staff member of the Hi Seoul Festival organization, and a survey pertinent to festival volunteers' motivation. This study shows college students are more interested in volunteering at festivals in Korea with the primary motivation of developing relationships and gaining work experience. It also suggests that the Hi Seoul Festival organization should fully appreciate the importance of an effective volunteer program and the position and work of a volunteer coordinator.