Volunteering

[Anna]

I know two people who got back into paid employment (retail management) through initially volunteering to help in two local charity shops. The fact that they were in their 40s and actively seeking employment obviously swung it for them to be eventually appointed assistant, then paid managers, the majority of helpers in charity shops are rather elderly ladies.

As to the 'chuggers' our Council banned them after so many complaints - two either side of the road, couldn't cross to avoid them - and far too aggressive marketing when it came to older people, who were less likely to say buzz-off to them in no uncertain terms and sign-up just to be polite.

[Flosshilde]

Flosshilde - I should have said thank you for your posts. The one thing I would slightly question is your observation that:

"volunteers also need to be committed to turning up regularly, on time, and fulfilling what they are there to do - all the skills required of someone in paid employment".

While I fully understand where you are coming from on this - I really don't like disorganization - it seems to me that there should be scope for people to turn up to these things whenever they want.

"What do you want me to do?" one might say. Someone - anyone - would reply "Thanks, if you can be getting on with x that would be useful".

Why doesn't this happen? My feeling is that it is just in case someone slips on a floor or falls off a ladder.

All the circus involving advertising, The concept of "volunteering jobs". It is generally a load of baloney to make sure that the organizations minimise the possibility of lawsuits.

I don't think that it is because of 'health & safety'. If an organisation - even a small, local, one, is going to be effective it has to be reliable. It's no good, for example, people turning up to a lunch club to be greeted by a notice saying that it wasn't open that week because the cook had something more important to do.
People rely on these services - sometimes for their only social contact. The provision has to be reliable.

[Anna]

I don't think that it is because of 'health & safety'. If an organisation - even a small, local, one, is going to be effective it has to be reliable. It's no good, for example, people turning up to a lunch club to be greeted by a notice saying that it wasn't open that week because the cook had something more important to do.
People rely on these services - sometimes for their only social contact. The provision has to be reliable.

I was employed by Oxfam (salaried, full time) working for a Regional Fund Raiser Organiser. Yes, you need volunteers to turn up on time, and do the job, same as any job you are doing for paid employment, otherwise it's chaotic and clients are let down, and basically, clients, not the volunteer, are what's it all about.

[Flosshilde]

Of course, there's different levels & types of voluntary action. As well as providing services to clients it also covers one-off events like a community clearing litter from local open space, which doesn't need people turning up on a regular basis.

[Dave2002]

David Cameron!

I "loved" it when David Cameron was claiming today that community involvement to avoid pubs and libraries closing was evidence of the success of the Big Society! Seemed more like evidence of failure of possibly/arguably essential services to me. What's going to come next? Volunteers running dental and GP surgeries, and hospitals maybe?

Nothing you can't do with a bit of enthusiasm, is there? Let's kick out all the highly paid doctors, and trained nurses, and get their work done by volunteers who go on a half day course.

What else can we tackle? Schools, naturally, then the police and fire brigade.

Oh - I don't suppose we'll be allowed to tackle the banks. They're reserved for the "professionals" to rob us all. Not just UK professionals either - but global operators, who I suspect are rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of all the extra dosh they're going to get when the European countries try to prop up so called failing economies.

What will it be tomorrow? The Berlusconi show perhaps.

[burning dog]

The Cameron volunteers won 't be enthusiastic. They will be unemployed people compelled do to menial and often pointless tasks of the type usually performed by prisoners. I expect they will have Dayglow jackets with "Work Programme" emblazoned on them. There will probably be a cottage industry of people selling rotten fruit to throw at them and these will be the only "real" jobs created by the scheme, as you can't count those who administer it.

. I don't think libraries and the like will in the long run will be manned by volunteers, they will just be just be closed. The Gov't knows full well that social services in the widest sense can't be manned by semi skilled volunteers. Many volunteers are qualifed semi-retired and retired people, are rarely fans of the Camerson BS, and Gov't cuts are making it more difficult for this kind of volunteer.

[Lateralthinking1]

Snapshot of the volunteering initiative in Central Government when I was employed in 2010.

1. Big statement from the centre of the Department that we should all be doing volunteering.
2. This fits in with Maude's pronouncements - Civil Servants should set an example.
3. Time permitted for such activities with line managers' consent.
4. Line managers reluctant given pressures with staff cuts but advised by their seniors to agree.
5. Those seniors in fact want their sections to lead as Directorate head is keen to impress.
6. Considerable time spent discussing whether initiatives should involve whole sections.
7. Further time spent discussing how right it would be to ask people about their private volunteering.
8. Team of three appointed to oversee nearly a hundred. I am Number Three.
9. Number One announces shortly afterwards that he is moving to Australia.

10. New Number One appointed. I am made Joint Number Two.
11. Telephone Calls to central Department coordinators - they are pleased but are "not here to support".
12. They will attend a presentation if I arrange one with an outside volunteer group.
13. Outside volunteer group delighted when I call them. Presentation to a hundred arranged.
14. Number One is asked to work directly to a Minister. Not replaced. I am now effectively Number One.
15. I send e-mails twice to all members asking for interest. No one responds.
16. It emerges that one group has already done a day's volunteering. No longer interested.
17. People start to mutter about having too much work to do.
18. I am asked to chair the presentation. Volunteering organisation person doesn't show up.
19. Interest generally waning at this point - a call reveals she was ill and she is "so sorry".

20. Presentation eventually takes place. Congratulations on how I managed it.
21. Still no one volunteering - an eerie silence - until discussion is insisted upon.
22. Some want one thing, others want something else. People getting very difficult.
23. Volunteering organization person constantly on the phone to me - will it happen soon?
24. Finally decide on one day at a local school. All of our section involved.
25. School wants CRB checks. Not everyone is happy with that idea. Weeks of discussions.
26. School decides it doesn't want CRB checks. Happy with us all just to turn up.
27. Get there. On the day everyone gets involved. Help the kids as we are asked. Enjoyed.
28. School says that it was unhappy. We weren't like professional teachers.
29. I put up a noticeboard about the event and invite others to suggest new initiatives.

30. No one comes forward. It appears that most feel that enough has been done.
31. I speak to the central Department's coordinators. They have lost interest in it all.
32. Say that resources are limited and they can't "help" again.
33. I continue to update the noticeboard and make it attractive. People say it "looks nice".
34. Form there for people to sign if they are interested.
35. Leave the workplace in September because of the cuts and return for a day in December.
36. The board is there and nothing has been signed. Our one day was the token gesture.
37. Maude goes on PM to say that everyone should be doing volunteering.
38. Mair asks him what he does in terms of volunteering.
39. Maude gets flustered and irritable and says it is an unfair question.
40. Directorate becomes much smaller. Head gets a New Years Honour.

[vinteuil]

Snapshot of the volunteering initiative in Central Government ...

/ ... /

37. Maude goes on PM to say that everyone should be doing volunteering.
38. Mair asks him what he does in terms of volunteering.
39. Maude gets flustered and irritable and says it is an unfair question.

That was a great radio moment - thank you for reminding me of it. Such an obvious elephant trap, and yet Francis Maude was not prepared for it...

[burning dog]

From Wiki

Maude, "who has railed against irresponsible lending by banks and mortgage companies", was accused of hypocrisy for receiving more than £100,000 as a director of a company that has profited from sub-prime mortgages. His annual salary was £25,000 from 2002 to 2005, for attending around six meetings a year of the company , and £12000 a year 2006 to 2008. The company went into liquidation in April 2009..

Not 6 days volunteering a year then....

[Dave2002]

I don't think libraries and the like will in the long run will be manned by volunteers, they will just be just be closed. The Gov't knows full well that social services in the widest sense can't be manned by semi skilled volunteers. Many volunteers are qualifed semi-retired and retired people, are rarely fans of the Camerson BS, and Gov't cuts are making it more difficult for this kind of volunteer.

Indeed. Rightly or wrongly, the area I live in does have quite a lot of very able, qualified semi-retired and retired people. The council is clearly aware of this, as it has apparently targeted services in these areas for volunteers when considering (threatening) closures. It doesn't do this in areas where there are council estates, because (allegedly) there'd be no-one there to run the services, and perhaps no-one would care anyway! So this Big Society stuff is just about doing things which should be done "on the cheap".

If anyone can stand it, look at this - http://www.bbc.co.uk/parliament/prog...les/2011/11/08

As I recall, DC was on around 3.30pm - pretty smooth glib talking stuff, but not much substance.

PS: I lived in California for a while, and there were volunteers there, in libraries and museums. Somehow it didn't seem so bad, but I think there were trained staff as well. What is now being proposed in some areas in the UK is that some services are only going to be run by volunteers. Also, in universities, it was common for students to run services, such as man (woman) the library, the cafe, restaurant, and computer help desks - but that wouldn't go down well in this country because I'd guess the Unions would complain about working people being put out of work by students. Pity really that it has to be either/or etc. Mostly the students provided better service than we get in this country by "ordinary" people just doing a job. It'd be good if we could get the benefits of all people pulling together - so in a sense DC is mouthing the right noises - but the reality will be somewhat different I think.

[burning dog]

It'd be good if we could get the benefits of all people pulling together - so in a sense DC is mouthing the right noises - but the reality will be somewhat different I think.

In short.. Yes and I think deep down (or perhaps not so deep) they know it.

[Flosshilde]

What's going to come next? Volunteers running ... GP surgeries, and hospitals maybe?

No, they've been set aside for American corporations to run. They wouldn't be interested in running libraries - no profit to be made.

[handsomefortune]

the big soc continued

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/This-blunder-void-car-yahoofinanceuk-442363539.html