Volunteer Opportunities
Welcome to the Dosti Volunteer Incentive Program (D-VIP), a flagship multi-level initiative designed for enthusiastic volunteers seeking personal and professional growth. If you are passionate about contributing to meaningful causes and eager to embark on a rewarding volunteer journey, D-VIP is the perfect opportunity. Our volunteers progress through bronze (24 hours), silver (50 hours), and gold (90 hours) levels by dedicating their time, skills, and energy without expecting financial or academic rewards. Join us at the 5th Peshawar Literature Festival (DPLF 2026) and explore the exciting volunteer opportunities that await you.
Volunteering means giving your time, energy and skills cause WITHOUT receiving financial or academic compensation.
So, why should I volunteer?
Work experience is vital for all to acquire. It gives you a great taste of a career and how to function in a workplace. Work experience massively increases your chances of gaining well-paid work in your chosen career sector. At the end of each level, you will get a certificate. You will also be able to claim discounted prices (offered for staff) for Dosti’s services, Free entry to events after your shifts, and many Dosti gifts (subject to availability), etc.
Note: The deadline for volunteers’ applications is Tuesday, January 15, 2026.
Could you help on the days at the 5th Dosti Peshawar Literature Festival (DPLF 2026) or any of the upcoming events? DPLF provides a friendly and supportive environment where you can learn new and valuable skills, meet people who share your interests, and, above all, have an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Volunteers will be required to attend a 1-3 day training workshop. The Literature Festival itself takes place over eleven days. There is a closing get-together for volunteers after the Literature Festival. In total, the commitment period will run for 40-45 days. You would be required to spend a few hours daily before the Literature Festival, but the last few days may require your full time commitment.
Registration
Your responsibility will be to receive the audience and check identity cards/documents as well as register our delegates, authors, press and artists separately. You will be the “face” of the DPLF, making first contact with our audiences and speakers as they make their way to the venue so if you are tech savvy, quick to learn, calm under pressure and can keep a smile on your face, this is the perfect venue for you to join and explore your potentials!
Information Desk
Volunteers working at the Information Desk will be required to literally know-it-all. But without the attitude of a know-it-all! You will need to know the venues and schedules like the back of your hand and keep up to date with any changes in the program. You will manage the lost and found.
Author Liaison
Volunteers in this department will receive the author(s) and ensure they are prepared and are at the venues for their session timely. You will be stationed in the Authors’ Lounge, offering assistance and hospitality, ensuring the traditional Peshawari values pf hospitality.
Book Signing
Each venue has a dedicated book signing desk where speakers/authors will arrive following their respective sessions to sign books for their legions of fans. It will be your job to make sure the area is ready and equipped with everything required. You will also need to make sure orderly queues are formed and that the signings proceed effeciently.
Press & Media
Press and Media volunteers will be stationed at the Press Terrace where they will work closely with the DPLF’s PR team to coordinate interviews with the speakers and presenters. You will also be responsible for assisting media persons with any DPLF related queries. In addition, you will also need to make sure the Press Terrace is ready to receive authors for their interviews.
Stakeholders Involved
Charity works have a lot in common with doing business: goals have to be set and results evaluated. By doing so, you can learn more about what you are achieving and whether there is a room for betterment in the delivery of effective and meaningful change.
Book fair
Keeping liaison with the exhibitor and ensuring smooth operations at the fair. This role can be more physically demanding and requires being on your feet.
Heritage Events
In addition to sessions at the main DPLF venue and the Archeology Museum, there are additional events hosted by the DPLF 2025, like visit to Sethi House, Gor Khatri Museum and other heritage sites. Volunteers assigned to this role will need to get the venue ready, usher people in and help manage crowds and invites.
Outreach
Organized by the Central Library, University of Peshawar, several other universities, schools and organizations, the Outreach Program aims at widening the scope of the DPLF by reaching out to educational institutions through reading sessions with writers and intellectuals and workshops with experts from all walks of life aiming at spreading the book-culture and reading habits among children. The Volunteers will be required to coordinate with the educational institutions, authors and logistics team to ensure that the process is carried out smoothly.
Delegate Management
The Delegate Experience that is offered at the DPLF is one-of-its-kind. Volunteers will be responsible for managing the Delegate Lounge and ensuring that Delegates are looked after carefully. This includes manning the inquiry desk in the lounge, closely working with Food and Beverage volunteers, and escorting Delegates to the Transport Desk. Volunteers may also be assigned the responsibility to go to the Heritage Events.
Logistics
One of the most stimulating albeit most challenging departments, this job requires meticulous time keeping and organizational skills. You will be responsible for taking care of the authors’ travel itineraries, having them picked up and dropped to and from specific locations and making sure their accommodation is ready for their arrival. Volunteers working in this department will need to be quick on their feet, ready to tackle any problem and of course, be courteous at all times.
Venue Management
Your main responsibilities will be to make sure your assigned venue is ready prior to every session and assist your Venue Managers with managing the crowds and any other task that may arise. As with most other roles, you will need to be quick on your feet, patient and courteous; crowd management is going to be one of the key tasks allocated to you as a venue volunteer. While you may have a front row seat to watching some of the greatest contemporary writers and thinkers in Pakistan, you will have to prioritize and ensure your venue functions smoothly.
Sponsor Management
Volunteers are assigned different venues where they will coordinate with the venue managers, technical staff and the sponsorship team to make sure that branding as promised to sponsors is displayed correctly. This is a great opportunity for Marketing students or those with similar experience.
Technical
This department is key in running and connecting the DPLF to the world. Volunteers will be required to work with the IT representative from venue to ensure technical errors do not hamper the DPFL and there is uninterrupted internet connectivity at all time. If you are a BS student “specializing” in computers and electronics, this is the ideal venue for you.
Merchandise
Volunteers will be responsible for managing the merchandise store, which includes assisting the vendors in setting up the store, billing, and payments. This is a great opportunity for people with a design and/or marketing background. This role can be more physically demanding and requires being on your feet.
Social Media
Do you live and breathe social media? This is a great opportunity for you to work alongside our media teams and hone your photography and content writing skills. Volunteers will be required to work on ground to capture the ambience of the DPLF, backstage activities and key sessions to generate online content for the DPLF. Applicants with a background or interest in photography, advertising, branding and digital media are encouraged to apply.
Apply to Become Volunteer
DPLF receives numerous volunteer applications, and we appreciate your interest in being a part of the DPLF. If you are selected as a Dosti Volunteer, we kindly demand that you commit to attending your chosen shift. The DPLF volunteers are vital in making this event possible, and your presence is important to us.
Since DPLF relies on the dedication of volunteers to run this free event smoothly, we request that you honor the commitment. If, for any reason, you are unable to attend your scheduled shift, please let us know in advance.
DPLF aims to provide opportunities for as many individuals as possible, so if you cannot fulfill your volunteer commitment without notice, we may be unable to extend future invitations to the DPLF and other events. This allows us to accommodate others who are eager to participate.
Thank you for your understanding and enthusiasm for the remarkable DPLF!