Volunteer for Brockley Max in 2026

Meet Brockley Max’s new Volunteer Coordinator 

Finn Arschavir has just joined Brockley Max as our new Volunteer Coordinator. Here he tells us about himself and how you can get involved in this year’s festival.

Hello! I’m Finn (he/him), a community producer and artist from Glasgow. I lived near Honor Oak for a couple of years so it’s great to return to the area as part of Brockley Max. Over Covid I found myself volunteering and then coordinating other volunteers to provide support to vulnerable groups while also running art projects when it was possible with my friends in A+E Collective. Here in London I have worked at The Courtauld Institute on a huge volunteer-led digitisation project in the vaults underneath Somerset House where we digitised over a million images of architecture from around the world. I now work part-time at Heritage Crafts, the national charity for traditional skills, coordinating public exhibitions and community engagement with endangered crafts. I also volunteer when I can, including at Migrant Connections Festival and Gerry’s Pompeii so I know intimately the many benefits that donating time, energy and skills can have for both your own wellbeing and wider social impact.

I’m really excited to be part of Brockley Max, it’s a pleasure to be involved in a festival that’s become a highlight of the Lewisham cultural calendar. This year is a big one, celebrating 25 years since the festival began. This means it’s an especially exciting time to get involved, with lots of new and exciting opportunities. If you’ve never volunteered before, I highly recommend you try it, and if you’re a seasoned pro at Brockley Max then there’s plenty of reasons to come back this year!

 Introducing our new volunteer platform

We have just launched our new, easy to use, volunteer platform, TeamKinetic. Once registered on the platform, you will be able to see all the volunteer roles available listed as ‘opportunities’. Some you can sign up for straight away while others you will have to apply for. You will be able to see and sign up to briefings, training and shifts, check or change your rota, log volunteering hours, communicate with the team and find essential information you need for each shift.

Volunteering with Brockley Max is open to anyone aged 16 and above. We also hope to accept younger people volunteering as part of youth groups. For example, Met Police cadets have been enthusiastic volunteers with us for several years.

Having volunteered with an independent radio station in Glasgo, (Subcity Radio) I am especially excited by the radio station mentoring opportunity where volunteers will receive coaching from local radio heroes, 1Harmony Radio. Thank you to Lewisham Shopping Centre for sponsoring this amazing opportunity.

 

Meet the Brockley Max team and other volunteers

We have many volunteer roles in the run up to the festival and especially need help people delivering and distributing the festival programmes which will be published by mid-May. Giving out programmes and flyers helps build excitement in the run-up to Brockley Max and the wonderful programme of events.

One of the most important jobs during the festival itself is selling raffle tickets, as proceeds form a huge proportion of our fundraising. It’s a great role if you like talking to people and are up for some convivial rivalry with the other sellers.

Brockley Max volunteers will be provided with a detailed briefing and support throughout the festival, plus and a thank you party at the end! You’ll get to join an amazing community of volunteers, meet new people, make friends and connections in the area, learn how events are run and set up and make a difference to your local area.

In fact, we have a meet-up on Tuesday 24 March where you can meet the Brockley Max organising team, learn about plans for this year’s festival, and sign up as a volunteer. It’s open to existing and returning volunteers as well as new recruits. You will get an invitation if you sign up at https://brockleymax.teamkinetic.co.uk, or you can simply head down to the Fox & Firkin garden from 7pm on Tuesday 24 March and sign up while you’re there.