Signing Up to Volunteer

For: Volunteers

This page explains how to find events that need volunteers, submit an application, choose your preferred roles, and understand what happens to your application afterward.

Finding events

Events that are accepting volunteers appear automatically in the sign-up wizard. You do not need to search for them manually. Lumieos only shows events from the current season that have not been canceled and that you have not already applied to.

To start, open your Volunteer Dashboard and go to the Applications tab. The “Create Volunteer Application” card at the top of the page lets you choose how you want to sign up.

Choosing a sign-up method

Lumieos offers three ways to sign up, each suited for a different situation. Click one of the three cards to open the sign-up wizard for that method.

Volunteer at a Specific Event

Use this when you know exactly which event you want to attend. The wizard walks you through three steps:

1. Select Event — A list of upcoming events grouped by date. Select one event.
2. Select Roles — Choose up to five role preferences in order of priority. You can also add availability notes (for example, “Can only stay until 3 PM”). If you have no preference, leave the role list empty and a coordinator will assign you where needed.
3. Confirm — Review your choices and submit.

Available on a Date

Use this when you are free on a particular day and want to help wherever you are needed. Coordinators will assign you to the best-fit event on that date.

The wizard walks you through three steps:

1. Select Date — Pick a date. All events on that date are pre-selected. Uncheck any events you cannot attend.
2. Preferences — Optionally choose role preferences. If you leave this blank, coordinators will assign you where needed. You can also add availability notes.
3. Confirm — Review and submit.

Your application will be marked “Assign me anywhere,” which tells coordinators that you are flexible.

Advanced Signup

Use this when you want to register for multiple specific events with different role preferences for each one.

The wizard walks you through four steps:

1. Select Events — Choose one or more events. Use “Select all” to quickly pick every event on a given date.
2. Configure Roles — Either apply the same role preferences to all selected events, or switch to per-event mode and set different preferences for each event.
3. Availability — Add any availability notes or constraints that coordinators should know.
4. Confirm — Review and submit.

Role preferences

During sign-up you can select up to five role preferences, ranked by priority (1 = first choice). Lumieos shows all volunteer roles available for the selected event(s), organized by role type.

Submitting preferences does not guarantee a specific role — coordinators make the final assignment based on event needs. If you submit no preferences, coordinators will assign you where they need help.

After submitting, you can update your preferences at any time before your assignment is finalized by clicking the edit (pencil) icon on your application card.

What happens after you submit

When you submit an application, Lumieos checks whether you are the only volunteer registered for that event on that date. If so, it automatically confirms you for the event (status: “Accepted - Pending Role”) and notifies coordinators. If there are multiple applicants across events on the same date, a coordinator will manually review and confirm you.

Your application card will show one of these statuses:

Cancelling an application

To cancel an application, click the trash icon on your application card and confirm the prompt. If you had already been assigned to a role, coordinators will receive a notification. If your cancellation leaves a role understaffed, the notification is flagged as critical.

Screening requirements

Before you can be fully confirmed as a volunteer, you must complete a background check through the FIRST Volunteer Management System (VMS). Lumieos tracks this status automatically.

Checking your screening status

Go to the Screening tab on your Volunteer Dashboard to see your current status:

How to complete FIRST VMS screening

If your status shows “Required — Waiting for Application,” follow these steps:

1. Go to the FIRST Dashboard at my.firstinspires.org.
2. Create an account or log into your existing FIRST account if you are a returning volunteer.
3. Click Apply for an Event and find the regional event for your partner organization. Select:
   • Program: FIRST LEGO League
   • Country: USA
   • State: Your partner’s state
4. Add at least one role to your application and click Apply. The role you select in FIRST does not affect your role assignment in Lumieos — your Lumieos preferences are used instead.
5. Complete any Youth Protection Program steps listed on your FIRST Dashboard. You may be directed to an external site called Verified Volunteers to complete the background check. Note that providing your Social Security Number is optional, and FIRST covers screening fees.
6. Complete the Consent and Release form on firstinspires.org. Lumieos will clear the requirement automatically once it is signed.

Lumieos checks for updates automatically. Once your application is detected, your status changes to “Application Received, Waiting for Screening.” The screening process can take up to 72 hours and may take additional time to appear in Lumieos.

Who is exempt from screening

Lumieos automatically marks some volunteers as “Not Required” based on information it has on file:

• Volunteers under 18 years old
• Coaches who are already screened through another program
• Volunteers with a valid screening exemption on record

If you believe your screening status is incorrect, contact your regional coordinator.