Your starting to drift slightly more leftwards than normal then? 😂
Does anyone do any volunteering? Any recommendations?
- Thread starter simon.r
- Start date
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Your starting to drift slightly more leftwards than normal then? 😂
Landsurfer
Veteran
Handing out food to men and women with £2000 - £3000 sleeve tattoos … not anymore ….
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
All that shows if that they had some money at some point
If they have no money now then they have no money now
the manager I work with told me about a family - and when she went to see the mother (no father around) it was in a large new house (4 bedrooms) and there was a smart new car on the drive.
Inside there was just the sofa and a small telly in the lounge - and a small table and 3 chairs (mother plus 2 kids)
She had lost her job and the mortgage went up and she couldn't afford it - previously she had been on a good salary and her husband was on even more
She was waiting for the bank to finish the legal stuff to re-posess the house and couldn;t drive the car because it was leased from the company and the insurance and lease ended when she was made redundant.
she had nothing - AT THAT TIME - before she had everything
and the vast majority of people coming to Food Banks are desperate - they have no money to feed themselves - OR THEIR CHILDREN - properly and the help from the Food Bank help keep them afloat - and their kids fed
and more and more people need their help every week
Landsurfer
Veteran
My heart bleeds … how much time have you spent with substance abusers .. big house .. fancy car .. no furniture.. no food in the fridge or freezer. Hungry kids …. Food banks mask the horror the children go through while the parents spend everything on drugs …. A reality we have lived with for 25 years….
Help out at the food bank … tick the social conscience box on your bucket list and move on ….
No harm to you… but typical middle class approach to life ……
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
I started volunteering with a charity that helps asylum seekers and refugees almost two years ago, just after I retired.
I get to meet, and volunteer with, the most wonderful people.
It’s the highlight of my retirement and something I wish I’d started sooner.
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
For those who are still in work, don’t discount the idea of volunteering. Many employers (bigger ones) give staff paid leave, maybe two or three days, each year to do volunteering tasks. That can be anything from fundraising, charity admin to sponsored events. It’s worth checking.
My wife gets three days a year, which she tends to split into six half-days. She works near her favourite charity, so she can easily do one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, whichever way round suits her, and her day is no longer than normal.
My wife gets three days a year, which she tends to split into six half-days. She works near her favourite charity, so she can easily do one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, whichever way round suits her, and her day is no longer than normal.
I can recognise this viewpoint. I have just stopped volunteering after 8 years as the volunteering was becoming unpaid work for the government. A lot of what might be called social work has been passed out to charities under government contract. So latterly I was handing out food, energy, clothes and furniture vouchers. There is a lot of hidden poverty and addiction related issues out there which are not getting better. But the thing that pushed me out was that it is endless. I really, really pity the paid staff who still have to deal with it and seeing the effects on the families.
If you have the time, volunteer but don't think it will be a sunny job.
Big John
Guru
I work as a volunteer for a bike charity where we fix bikes up and sell them off cheap to those on a budget. We also service bikes and do repairs as well as sell new parts and accessories. I love the work but not the chaos and disorganised way of working. For that reason I take occasional 'sanity' breaks. When I packed in work I felt the need to continue with some form of routine work.
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
I recognise and understand this. Compassion burn out is real.
One of the nice things about volunteering is that you are free to leave and do something else, hopefully before burn out happens.
I'd agree that much volunteering is "just" helping people today, not saving the world. But helping today is important!
I seem to find two to three years volunteering in one place is about right for me; I don't want to become one of those people who have become disillusioned and cyclical.
I'm currently volunteering in a refugee organisation and, a year in, find it an absolute joy.
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
I too find it an absolute joy.
So much so, that I sometimes feel guilty. It often feels like I’m getting so much more out of it than I put in!
Despite the inevitable instances of great sadness in the task, I’ve found it’s helped me be a better, happier person.
There is a sense of community and positivity, with people keen to help others - and here I’m talking about the refugees themselves, as well us, the volunteers. Nobody’s background, colour or religion matters to anyone else, everyone shares the same space and the same goals.
I’m not a great socialiser, or at least I wasn’t until I started with this charity. Now I have friends from Iran whom I meet up with every week to play backgammon, another from Afghanistan who, whenever the charity has one of its social get-togethers, phones me to see if I’m going.
It’s been a revelation to me how my ability in this regard has changed.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
B'stard
Chief Broom
Veteran
I enjoyed working for the Cinnamon Trust, its walking dogs for the elderly/infirm who cant manage it anymore. Its great when you turn up as the dogs raring to go and the owners are always grateful- tea and biscuits assured! 
I do beach cleaning at the moment and recently started work at a wildlife rescue
Oh and theres 'Turning Point' who help people with drug/alcohol problems, i used to run a gardening project for them where service users could do some work, socialise, take veg home.
I do beach cleaning at the moment and recently started work at a wildlife rescue
Oh and theres 'Turning Point' who help people with drug/alcohol problems, i used to run a gardening project for them where service users could do some work, socialise, take veg home.
MidnightRider
Well-Known Member
Lots of people have great experiences volunteering, but be aware its not always sunny.
If it does not fit you or you encounter problems, it is often down to institutional / management / culture problems within the charity itself. The weight of blame is sometimes passed to the volunteers. Never get so involved you feel unable to walk away.
Be aware many charities get too many volunteers and this can lead to the charity being overwhelmed, so they do no individual 'thanks but no thanks' contact so your application is seemingly ignored, which in itself is poor public relations.
Volunteers who are taken on can be seen as very expendable due to easy replacement in some sectors. Some charities expect volunteers to behave as if they are employees, with the same obligations of a paid contract. Application forms can be very long and intrusive. Some I have looked at make paid employment applications seem short and casual by comparison. Some I have binned due to excessive intrusiveness. One which was just for casual 'gallery sitting' now and again (no high value displays) who wanted my entire employment history from school 20+ years back, which was absurd.
Where possible, speak to volunteers who have already worked for some time at whatever you hope to volunteer for and do it away from the volunteering centre. I have several friends who were very unhappy and found it hard to leave due to a sense of obligation. Psychologically it can become a 'replacement employment', where turning up to give your unpaid time out of kindness turns into a false obligation as if still paid, under contract obligations and needing money for mortgages etc.
Some years back I had looked into volunteering for the NT as they had a massive recruitment stand about it in the main entry lobby, ask at reception it said. When asking at the reception the staff claimed they had no knowledge of any recruitment drive and had no forms/info they could give out. Things like this are major clues to poor management and communication.
The NT has ongoing problems with attitude towards volunteers (do a web search). I know someone who used to run and edit an NT regional publication, as a volunteer. When they left their post was not advertised for other volunteers to apply for, but instead they passed the role directly to their close friend, who had never previously volunteered in any capacity for NT. I was pretty disgusted the NT thought this exclusionary behaviour acceptable. Its another clue as to how volunteers are seen by the charity. As with people when they show you who they really are, recognise a charities attitudes to volunteers the first time they show you.
Another friend worked in a hospice shop chain for many years as a volunteer. He was then diagnosed with MS and soon found it hard to walk the mile to the shop. Despite his being on disability benefit (he was that ill) they refused to help with his local bus fare, despite that being a legal use of charity money (they can pay volunteers expenses, a lot of charities don't like to admit that). Then when he had to go to medical appointments he would be criticised for not 'booking them' far enough in advance, even though he told them when he knew himself. He needed a break to visit far off family and was told he could not inform them he would be unavailable for volunteering for 2 weeks of the next month, he had to officially 'request leave'. When he had to reduce his volunteering hours it was made clear he was letting them down. Staff were also frequently moved between the many shops of the chain, mostly to break up and respond to accusations of bullying.
A friend of a friend worked for Oxfam as a volunteer. He eventually walked out after being verbally attacked by the shop manager for not processing books fast enough, despite his giving time for nothing. He had started volunteering there after a mental breakdown.
Legal and Health and Safety issues can also be problems with charities. I volunteered for a county Wildlife charity (not Gloucestershire). I eventually walked away after:
- The employed staff in charge had no idea of where any fire extinguishers were, despite catering food for the public over open wood fires with literally foot high flames on fires at waist height. When I mentions burns risks and where was the fire extinguisher etc "I think there is one down in the shed, maybe behind the door". My asking how long they thought they had if someone caught on fire was not looked on kindly.
- They were selling alcohol to the public illegally at multiple events (no temp licences "Its not worth us bothering to do that.")
- Male volunteers in their 30's were given privileges by the management (who were also male 30's), so it became a private 'club'.
- Volunteers being treated dismissively (events cancelled days in advance but no volunteers informed, so still turned up having taken leave from work, swapped shift especially etc)
- Both local staff and head office being too rude to even acknowledge hours of commissioned work from volunteers when the project was turned in to them.
I also know someone who loves her charity work and experiences from volunteering, there are great ones out there. If that turns out to not be you, don't assume you are at fault and don't hang around hoping it will improve, just move to a different charity asap. Life is too short. Its not a job, its a kind donation of your valuable personal time for free, when you could be doing other things. It should be respected by the charity receiving it.
If it does not fit you or you encounter problems, it is often down to institutional / management / culture problems within the charity itself. The weight of blame is sometimes passed to the volunteers. Never get so involved you feel unable to walk away.
Be aware many charities get too many volunteers and this can lead to the charity being overwhelmed, so they do no individual 'thanks but no thanks' contact so your application is seemingly ignored, which in itself is poor public relations.
Volunteers who are taken on can be seen as very expendable due to easy replacement in some sectors. Some charities expect volunteers to behave as if they are employees, with the same obligations of a paid contract. Application forms can be very long and intrusive. Some I have looked at make paid employment applications seem short and casual by comparison. Some I have binned due to excessive intrusiveness. One which was just for casual 'gallery sitting' now and again (no high value displays) who wanted my entire employment history from school 20+ years back, which was absurd.
Where possible, speak to volunteers who have already worked for some time at whatever you hope to volunteer for and do it away from the volunteering centre. I have several friends who were very unhappy and found it hard to leave due to a sense of obligation. Psychologically it can become a 'replacement employment', where turning up to give your unpaid time out of kindness turns into a false obligation as if still paid, under contract obligations and needing money for mortgages etc.
Some years back I had looked into volunteering for the NT as they had a massive recruitment stand about it in the main entry lobby, ask at reception it said. When asking at the reception the staff claimed they had no knowledge of any recruitment drive and had no forms/info they could give out. Things like this are major clues to poor management and communication.
The NT has ongoing problems with attitude towards volunteers (do a web search). I know someone who used to run and edit an NT regional publication, as a volunteer. When they left their post was not advertised for other volunteers to apply for, but instead they passed the role directly to their close friend, who had never previously volunteered in any capacity for NT. I was pretty disgusted the NT thought this exclusionary behaviour acceptable. Its another clue as to how volunteers are seen by the charity. As with people when they show you who they really are, recognise a charities attitudes to volunteers the first time they show you.
Another friend worked in a hospice shop chain for many years as a volunteer. He was then diagnosed with MS and soon found it hard to walk the mile to the shop. Despite his being on disability benefit (he was that ill) they refused to help with his local bus fare, despite that being a legal use of charity money (they can pay volunteers expenses, a lot of charities don't like to admit that). Then when he had to go to medical appointments he would be criticised for not 'booking them' far enough in advance, even though he told them when he knew himself. He needed a break to visit far off family and was told he could not inform them he would be unavailable for volunteering for 2 weeks of the next month, he had to officially 'request leave'. When he had to reduce his volunteering hours it was made clear he was letting them down. Staff were also frequently moved between the many shops of the chain, mostly to break up and respond to accusations of bullying.
A friend of a friend worked for Oxfam as a volunteer. He eventually walked out after being verbally attacked by the shop manager for not processing books fast enough, despite his giving time for nothing. He had started volunteering there after a mental breakdown.
Legal and Health and Safety issues can also be problems with charities. I volunteered for a county Wildlife charity (not Gloucestershire). I eventually walked away after:
- The employed staff in charge had no idea of where any fire extinguishers were, despite catering food for the public over open wood fires with literally foot high flames on fires at waist height. When I mentions burns risks and where was the fire extinguisher etc "I think there is one down in the shed, maybe behind the door". My asking how long they thought they had if someone caught on fire was not looked on kindly.
- They were selling alcohol to the public illegally at multiple events (no temp licences "Its not worth us bothering to do that.")
- Male volunteers in their 30's were given privileges by the management (who were also male 30's), so it became a private 'club'.
- Volunteers being treated dismissively (events cancelled days in advance but no volunteers informed, so still turned up having taken leave from work, swapped shift especially etc)
- Both local staff and head office being too rude to even acknowledge hours of commissioned work from volunteers when the project was turned in to them.
I also know someone who loves her charity work and experiences from volunteering, there are great ones out there. If that turns out to not be you, don't assume you are at fault and don't hang around hoping it will improve, just move to a different charity asap. Life is too short. Its not a job, its a kind donation of your valuable personal time for free, when you could be doing other things. It should be respected by the charity receiving it.
Last edited:
Punkawallah
Über Member
“No representation without taxation!”
