Volunteer Frequently Asked Questions

What is it to be a Volunteer?

As a volunteer, you will be assisting both Tora-Con staff and attendees in making the Tora experience as engaging and positive as possible. Volunteering is important to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible for the Tora-Con weekend: from setting up, to helping attendees, returning spaces to their pre-Tora state, and more.

With Tora-Con getting bigger every year, volunteering at such a venue is rewarding for everyone as positive engagement from volunteers makes for happy con-goers! Volunteers get many benefits for their time. You even get a new T-shirt as a thank you from us to add to your Tora goodies, however, you can’t receive much if you’re not willing to put in the effort, so put in your A-game and don’t forget to have fun!

Do I need to register as an attendee for Tora-Con, if I am volunteering?

If you do not plan to volunteer at least 4 hours total, and would like to attend the convention, you must register as an attendee.


If you volunteer for at least 4 hours total for Tora-Con, you DO NOT need to register as an attendee. PLEASE NOTE: If you have already registered as an attendee for Tora-Con 2025, we cannot refund your badge if you would like to sign up as a volunteer.

Is there a minimum age to volunteer?

Yes, you must be at least 18 years old by the start of Tora-Con 2025 (March 21st) to volunteer

What benefits do volunteers receive? Can I do more hours than I requested?

As a volunteer, you do not get paid, but you are rewarded for your contributions. By volunteering, you help the attendees, panelists, and staff of Tora-Con and we would like to thank you and reward you for your efforts. You are welcome to come to Volunteer Ops when you are off duty to have some food or even help out beyond your standard shift. Below are our reward tiers.

Rewards are based on total hours volunteered during the entire convention:

4 Hours           Free Volunteer T-Shirt, Lanyard, Food, Complimentary Badge (Get into Tora-Con 2025 for FREE)

6 hours            Tora-Con Merchandise Voucher + All previous perks

8 hours            Complimentary Tora-Con 2025 T-shirt + All previous perks

10+ hours        Volunteer After Party Invitation + All previous perks

Rewards will be given out at the end of your shift. Please inform the staff at Volunteer Ops when you are done volunteering and they will calculate your hours. If you ever find yourself with extra time and are looking to help out more (or hit the next reward tier), stop by Volunteer Ops and speak with a staff member to see if extra assistance is needed.

What happens if I want to attend an event as an attendee but I haven’t completed my 4 hours yet? What if I do not complete the minimum 4 hours by the end of the weekend?

If you sign up to complete at least 4 hours and would like to attend the convention when you are off duty, you are free to do so. The earliest you can request your badge is Saturday morning. We ask that you come in for the assignments that you committed to. Failure to complete your volunteering obligations may result in a ban from future Tora-Cons. This system is based on an honor system.

Do I need to watch/know anime to volunteer?

No, volunteering does not require you to watch, know, or even like anime to take part.

When does volunteer registration close?

Volunteer registration for Tora-Con 2025 will close on March 9th, 2025 or when we reach our current planned volunteer registration capacity of 155 volunteer sign-ups. If our close date or capacity changes, we will notify everyone through our website and social media.

When can I get my volunteer badge and T-shirt? Can I keep it after the convention?

You will receive your volunteer badge and T-shirt from our Volunteer Ops at the start of your shift. Due to multiple complaints in the past, we ask that when you are not volunteering during the convention, you DO NOT wear your volunteer T-shirt. This helps others know that you are not on duty which gives you time to enjoy yourself during the weekend. You can keep your volunteer badge and T-shirt during and after the convention.

Where do I check in on the day of the convention?

Volunteer check in is at our Volunteer Ops in SAU 1010. Please arrive 10 minutes before the start of your shift. At the Volunteer Ops, you will be checked in by one of the Tora-Con staff or a fellow volunteer.

When your shift ends you must check out of our system and take off your volunteer T-Shirt. Due to issues in the past we ask that you take off your volunteer T-shirts when you are not on duty.

Do I need photo identification when checking in?

Do I need photo identification when checking in?

Yes, you must have some sort of photo identification when getting your badge and T-shirt. 

Photo IDs include but are not limited to:

  • Driver’s License

  • Driver’s Permit

  • Enhanced Driver’s License

  • Government Issued ID Cards

  • Passport 

  • School ID

Credit cards are NOT a form of ID.

Is there a place where I can put my personal belongings while I volunteer?

We highly recommend you leave any valuables at home or in your car, if you have one, but you can store your personal belongings in Volunteer Ops. Be warned that staff won't be held responsible for damage or loss of any object you might bring.

Do I need to bring food and water?

Food will be provided all day along with soft drinks and water bottles in Volunteer Ops. If you feel like bringing your own water bottle or your own food, you are welcome to do so. Please do not bring foods containing nuts into Volunteer Ops. There will also be dining locations open on campus if you do not like the food provided. You can obtain more information about RIT dining locations on their website: https://www.rit.edu/dining/locations

What should I wear while I’m volunteering?

When you are on duty, you will be wearing your free light blue Tora-Con 2025 Volunteer T-shirt. You are able to pick your T-shirts up at the start of your shift. Please bring a change of clothes, because you will be unable to wear the T-shirt when you are off duty. 

It is best to wear sneakers or a comfortable and practical pair of shoes. Please note you will be walking a lot during the event. It is highly recommended that you leave your valuables at home.  If you are cosplaying and you are on shift, you must be able to wear your Volunteer T-shirt normally so that it is visible to everyone. Please dress appropriately for the weather. 

How do I know if my application was successful?

You will be taken to a confirmation page when you complete the registration. If you are unsure about your application you can contact the Tora-Con 2025 Volunteer Coordinator(s) at workforce@ritanimeclub.org or on Discord.

When will I know my assignment(s)?

Individual schedules will be emailed to all volunteers within 2 weeks after the Tora-Con event schedule is completed.

How likely am I to get the hours that I requested?

The workforce department will personally assign each volunteer their assignments. We will try our best to place each volunteer in their requested timeframes, but we cannot guarantee that it will be possible if there are a limited number of volunteers during certain time periods.

What do I do if I have to change or cancel my volunteer times/registration?

In the case that you need to make any changes to your application, or need to remove your application from the system, please send an email to workforce@ritanimeclub.org or message us on Discord, explaining your situation and what it is that you need to change. We’ll try to answer back with a response as soon as possible. Please try to send and resolve all issues two weeks before Tora-Con, as we need to know the exact number of volunteers and all volunteer availability in order to make Tora-Con the best experience possible for everyone.

What is Volunteer training? When is it? Is it mandatory? What if I did it last year?

Volunteer training is MANDATORY for all volunteers, even for those who have previously attended as we update our information each year. During training, we teach volunteers how to complete different tasks that they may be assigned during the convention, where rooms and buildings are located, as well as other useful information to make the volunteer experience run as smoothly as possible. 


Volunteer training session dates will be posted about a month before the convention. There will be multiple sessions if you are not able to make a single one. If you are unable to attend the training, please contact the Tora-Con 2025 Volunteer Coordinator(s) at workforce@ritanimeclub.org or on Discord.

What happens if I can not make any of the training sessions?

Please contact Tora-Con 2025 Volunteer Coordinator(s) at workforce@ritanimeclub.org or on Discord to work something out.

Is it possible for another volunteer and I to work together during Tora-Con?

If you and someone else would like to pair your shifts so that you can work together in the same place at the same time, please be sure to fill out the pairing request in the volunteer registration form. 

Each person should state the person that they want to work with in the form. For example: Kyou and Kaede would like to volunteer together. Kyou will write Kaede’s name in the pairing request section of his registration form and Kaede will write Kyou’s name in the pairing request section of her registration form. We cannot guarantee paired shifts, but we will try our best to honor your requests

What if my question wasn’t answered by this FAQ and/or I want more clarification?

Our workforce team can be contacted regarding any other requests at workforce@ritanimeclub.org or on our Discord.