Getting Started as a Volunteer

HoMeeSuite is the platform your event uses to coordinate helpers. You register once and can participate in as many events as you like with the same account.

Registering

Open the HoMeeSuite instance your event is hosted on and click Sign up.

You need a valid email address and a password. After registration, you will receive a verification email — click the link to activate your account. You cannot sign up for shifts until your email is verified.

If you ever forget your password, use the Forgot password link on the sign-in page to receive a reset link by email.

If you already have an account from a previous event on the same instance, just log in — your account carries over automatically.

Joining an event

Browse events at /events. Each event card shows dates, location, and a brief description. Click an event to open it, then click Join event to start the onboarding wizard.

If you are not logged in when you click the enroll button, you are redirected to the login page. After signing in (or registering), you are automatically sent back to the event page so you can continue enrolling without having to navigate again.

4-step onboarding wizard

When you click the enroll button, you are taken through a guided 4-step flow:

About you — Fill in any event-specific form fields the organizer has configured (dietary requirements, T-shirt size, etc.). If the event has no extra fields, this step is skipped automatically.
Your role — Choose one or more volunteer types (roles) you want to take on. Each role card shows a chevron (▾) you can tap to read the role description before selecting. Roles marked "Needs approval" require a coordinator to confirm your membership before shift sign-up becomes available for that role.
When & where? — Pick the shifts you want to work. Only shifts matching your selected roles and with available spots are shown. Use the day and time filters to narrow down the list. Shifts are grouped by location. Shifts for roles that still need approval are shown with a lock icon and cannot be selected yet — they become bookable once a coordinator approves your membership.
Review — Check your choices — roles, shifts, and any form answers — then confirm. You can click "Edit" next to any section to jump back and change it.

After confirming, you see a summary: Confirmed shifts are immediately reserved for you. Pending approval means your role membership request was sent to a coordinator — shift sign-up for that role will open once they approve it.

The enroll button is only active when the organizers have opened registration. If it is greyed out, registration is not yet open — check back later or contact the event team.

Leaving an event

If you change your mind, you can leave an event from its detail page. Open the event at /events, click the event, and scroll down to the sidebar. A Leave event button appears below the action buttons once you are enrolled.

Clicking it opens a confirmation dialog before removing your enrollment. Leaving an event cancels all your signed-up shifts for that event — you will need to re-enroll and re-select shifts if you change your mind again.

First time here?

When you first log in without any event enrollments, your dashboard shows a welcome card with a direct link to the events list. Once you enrol in an event it disappears automatically.

Your dashboard

Once enrolled, your personal dashboard for the event is at /events/[slug]/dashboard. It shows:

Upcoming shifts with times and locations
Tracked hours so far
Goodie tier progress (if the event uses goodies)
News and announcements from the organizers

Bookmark this page — it is your home base during the event.

The main dashboard (before entering a specific event) also shows an Available events panel listing open events you have not yet joined. Click any event card in that panel to go directly to its detail page and start the onboarding wizard.

Navigating the app

The sidebar gives you access to everything you need:

Dashboard — your personal event overview across all enrolled events
Events — browse and join events
Notifications — in-app notification centre
Profile — your account, preferences, and notification settings

Within each event you have joined:

Dashboard — your schedule and hours for that event
Shifts (or Plan) — browse and sign up for available shifts
My Volunteer Types — declare your skills and interests
Messages — direct messages from event staff (when Communications is active)
News and FAQ — updates and common questions from the organizers