QYLA 2026 Call for Volunteers
Volunteer Positions for the Day of the Event — QYLA 2026
We are looking for volunteers to help us make the QYLA run smoothly. Even an hour or two of your time can make a big difference. Below is a schedule of QYLA 2026 and an overview of the volunteer shifts we still need coverage for.
Saturday, May 9, 2026, Pajaro Valley High School, Watsonville
- 9:00 am – 5:00 pm: Setting up QYLA
- 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Community Resource Fair
- 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Catered Buffet Dinner
- 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Awards Ceremony
- 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm: Clean up
In 2026, QYLA is proud to continue our strengthened partnership with school districts that host QYLA around the county. Thank you Pajaro Valley High School (PVUSD) for supporting efforts to identify additional parents/guardians, students, and the broader PVUSD community as volunteers. Check out the Welcome Statement from Dr. Heather Contreras, PVUSD Superintendent
Transportation
We are providing transportation or arranging carpools for volunteers who sign up for multiple volunteer shifts. Please let us know in the sign up form if you need a ride or can offer a ride. Thank you!
Community Service Hours
If you need credit for Community Service Hours, please share your address and any other details needed on the sign up form. We will mail out letters shortly after the event.
Questions: Please contact us at: volunteer@QYLA.org or call (831) 427-4004.
—> Sign up to be a Volunteer for the QYLAs HERE
Volunteer opportunities for the Queer Youth Leadership Awards on Saturday, May 9, 2026 include:
Volunteer Check-In / Host Greeter
- 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Greet & welcome our team / 4 volunteers needed
- 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Greet & welcome our team / 4 volunteers needed
- 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Greet & welcome our team / 4 volunteers needed
- 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Greet & welcome our team / 4 volunteers needed
Morning Set-Up
- 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Set up tables, chairs, linens, etc. / 10 volunteers needed
Decorations
- 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM: Decorate entrance, tables, Resource Fair, and courtyard / 9 volunteers needed
Miscellaneous Support
- 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Help complete unfinished tasks or fill unanticipated needs / 9 volunteers needed
- 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Help complete unfinished tasks or fill unanticipated needs / 9 volunteers needed
- 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Help complete unfinished tasks or fill unanticipated needs / 9 volunteers needed
- 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Help complete unfinished tasks or fill unanticipated needs / 9 volunteers needed
Dessert Reception
- 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Prepare and set up fruit, cake, cookies, coffee, and tea / 4 volunteers needed
- 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM: Serve desserts and hot beverages / 5 volunteers needed
- 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM: Serve desserts and hot beverages / 2 volunteers needed
Dinner Reception Crew
- 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Receive dinner shipment from caterer, set up buffet tables / 10 volunteers needed
- 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM: Help serve dinner / 30 volunteers needed
- 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Help clean up during dinner / 5 volunteers needed
- 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM: Help clean up after dinner with rinsing and sorting of dinner plates and utensils. / 6 volunteers needed
Dinner Service Host
- 5:30 PM – 6:45 PM: Direct dinner guests from tables to food stations / 4 volunteers needed
Greeters
- 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Greet & welcome our attendees / 6 volunteers needed
- 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Greet & welcome our attendees / 6 volunteers needed
- 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm: Greet & welcome our attendees / 6 volunteers needed
- 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Greet & welcome our attendees / 1 volunteer needed
Will-Call and Ticket Sales
- 4:00 PM – 7:15 PM: Distribute tickets and answer attendee inquiries / 6 volunteers needed
- 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM: Distribute tickets and answer attendee inquiries / 1 volunteer needed
Ticket Takers & Program Booklet Distribution
- 5:45 PM – 6:30 PM: Greet guests at venue entrance and distribute QYLA program booklet. / 6 volunteers needed
- 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM: Greet guests at venue entrance and distribute QYLA program booklet. / 2 volunteers needed
Parking Assistants:
- 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM: 3 volunteers needed
- 5:15 PM – 6:15 PM: 3 volunteers needed
- 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM: 3 volunteers needed
- 8:15 PM – 9:30 PM: post-event / 3 volunteers needed
Post-Event Clean-Up Crew
- 8:30 PM – 10:30 PM: 30 volunteers needed
Last updated: January 28, 2026
—> Sign up to be a Volunteer for the QYLAs HERE
QYLA Volunteer Form
Thank you for volunteering at the 29th Annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at Pajaro Valley High School in Watsonville!
Please complete the QYLA 2026 Volunteer Form to sign up as a QYLA volunteer.
As a special thank you to day-of-the-event volunteers who take on two or more shifts, we will give you a FREE QYLA ticket! (Volunteers will be seated together unless otherwise specified.)
If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Morales, 2026 QYLA Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteer@QYLA.org or contact the QYLA Info Line, (831) 427-4004.
QYLA will confirm your volunteer time slot.
Thank you again for helping make this year’s QYLA a grand success!
Help Plan the 2026 Queer Youth Leadership Awards
QYLA 2026 Community Planning Meetings: Be part of a dedicated group of community members planning the 29th Annual Queer Youth Leadership Awards. All are welcome!
QYLA is always looking for dynamic volunteers to help organize the annual event. There are many different opportunities for people with all types of commitment levels. Only have time to help on the day of the event? Want to help but only have every other weekend? Want to be part of the planning committee? Great! Let us know how you can help and we will gladly work with you.
There are many ways you can get involved:
Event Logistics, Food Production, Fundraising, Publicity, Outreach, Printed Program, Decorations, Webmaster, and Stage
Contact us for more information about volunteering: volunteer@QYLA.org or call (831) 427-4004.