SANCTUARY

Photo: Steven Tu. Decor and sign by Andrea Cilliers.

Sanctuary is the place to find peer support services. This might be for all sorts of difficulties – overwhelm from the environment, baggage from the default world, challenging relationship issues brought to a head by the desert environment, unexpectedly difficult psychedelic moments, or other community needs.  

Compassionate volunteer peers are available 24/7, keeping the service open from the Monday when the event officially opens until 12pm the following Monday, when most participants have left Tankwa Town. Sanctuary support is available for all participants of the burn.  

Sanctuary aims to be educational, preventative, peer driven and professional when supporting participants. There are many different reasons to come to Sanctuary and guests can be connected with other services if needed eg medics, rangers, sexual trauma (STAR) or mental health care.  

All Sanctuary volunteers help to maintain the calm, accessible and comfortable space during their shift. Full participation is expected through communal effort within the team.

Sanctuary offers a safe and supportive space at Off Centre Camp between Medics and Ranger HQ, to regain balance through peer support and practical help with wellbeing like rest, refreshments and care. Sanctuary also works with the operations team to put prevention strategies in place to reduce future community challenges.

Application and Volunteer Process

Application form

• Step 1: Fill out volunteer application form online via link on website: https://tim.afrikaburn.org/sanctuary-registration
• Step 2: Volunteer form is reviewed by Sanctuary Team leads
• Step 3: Receive approval on your role and read through the information email with Training Information, your Sanctuary Volunteer Guide (Role outline, shift information, Consent & 11 Principles Guide), NDA and volunteer Code of Conduct.

Once application approved

• Step 4: Accept your approved role and return the signed documents (Volunteer Guide, NDA and Code of Conduct).
• Step 5: RSVP for Training: 1. Basic Training (valid for 3 years), 2. Sanctuary Services Orientation (valid for 3 years), 3. Sanctuary Leadership Training (if in a supervisory role. Required annually).
• Step 6: Attend training online, in person or at the event (at least 1 in person is required).
• Step 7: Arrive at correct time @ Sanctuary and enjoy your shift!!
• Step 9: Volunteer again next year once approval has been re-issued based on previous year supervisor feedback

Going forward

Remain involved and think about joining the core team. Think about what you might have to offer to enhance the Sanctuary offering and suggest it for consideration

Characteristics of Sanctuary Volunteers

• We value compassionate listening, letting people work out what they want to say in their own time
• We value insight due to their personal experiences, or learning to tune in to others experiences and perspectives
• We try to be self-aware and adaptable to changing situations
• We are respectful of and careful with the physical, sexual and emotional boundaries of other people, and our shared space, without exception
• We foster self and group awareness of power dynamics, positionality and social location which negatively affect safety and participation, to build a caring culture
• We repudiate sexism, racism or any prejudices within the group, or towards participants. Everyone is welcome to make an individual contribution to the Sanctuary space, and to the burn, in their own way.  
• We are guided by the 11 principles and community conduct responsibilities
• We never pursue our own agendas on spiritual, psychological/emotional states or ideologies. We offer neutral support for people to find their own meaning
• We use clear communication to troubleshoot unfamiliar problems and support each other to handle unfolding situations. We ask for help from other departments and operational leadership

The following criteria would be helpful for volunteers applying to work at the Sanctuary

✓ I have had personal experience with psychedelics

✓ I have had experience as a caregiver in psychedelic crisis situations

✓ I have professional experience in a psychiatric ward (professional nurse, doctor, therapist)

✓ I have a professional background in healthcare services

✓ I am a complimentary health practitioner/ non-bio medical therapeutic or massage certification

✓ I have undergone CPR or first aid training

✓ I have an interest (academic/professional/personal) in psychology/psychedelic science

✓ I am linked to a harm reduction organisation

✓ I have prior experience volunteering in any capacity at a music festival

✓ I have been recommended by someone from a similar, or this, care service

✓ I have attended a previous edition of Afrikaburn, or an official Burning Man event

✓ I have attended MAPS/Zendo/Sanctuary training in the last 2 years

Volunteer roles

Tangle (peer support)

If you sign up to be a sitter who directly provides peer support to guests who are having a challenging experience, then this is you. Your official job title is "Tangle". We have Tangles on each shift and prefer a mix of genders and age to ensure comfortable allocation as guests may require.

Harbour Master (shift lead)

Shift Leaders who have experience as Tangles (Sitters) and are there to be keeping it all going smoothly in Sanctuary. They manage the shift and allocation of guests to sitters in the space. They are supported by CuddleFish, and are in turn, supporting the sitters, guests and other volunteers in the space. This role is filled by experienced Sanctuary sitters who have been invited and trained up (similar to the Ranger Tortoise), specifically. You will receive an additional invitation, when you have been approved for this role.

Space-keeper (zen wrangler)

Provides background help, feng shui magic and general Zen Mastery. The Space Keeper helps with keeping volunteers and Guests supplied with practical support- blankets, refreshments and temperature control and keeping the interior beauootiful and calm. A great role for those who are maybe new to Sanctuary, and would like a little more experience of the space before offering to sit (Tangle) guests.  This role provides a fabulous service for the whole team through keeping the space organised, tidy and calm.  

Door-keeper (greeter)

The Door- keepers assist our Harbour Masters with guest arrivals, as well as keeping the boundary of our space intact from noise, visitors or other possible interruptions to the serenity of Sanctuary. This can be a good role for new volunteers or if one-to- one peer support isn't your vibe, but you still want to support Sanctuary. Door- keepers greet and support people who are coming into the space, help the friends and family of guests, and help keep the space Zen-ful and not over-full of people or noise. Often this involves keeping the literal home fire burning at our outdoor chill space and being a first-person smiling face when Tankwa’s guests arrive at Sanctuary.

Shifts are 24/7 and 6 hours long beginning when the gates officially open on the Monday of the event, and ending on the Monday of Exodus:

6:00 to 12:00

12:00 to 18:00

18:00 to 24:00

24:00 to 06:00