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A rant

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By *hyllyphylly OP   Man
over a year ago

Bradford

So I called up to volunteer somewhere doing admin work, a couple of weeks ago and an appointment was made today. I went up at 8am, expecting a chat about the role and maybe being shown a bit of the admin role....

1st people thought I was interested in tiling or plastering and tried to put me on a course. Then I said I was here to volunteer in admin and customer service, to which I was told to shadow someone cleaning and one of the 1st jobs was to clean the gents toilets. At that point, I just left a message for the manager to call me and just walked out.

In all fairness they did call and explain what the role was, and it involved some housekeeping, and I'm going up to see them tomorrow.

So I guess I'm ranting about 2 things.... 1) people not explaining stuff properly and 2) My temper, but in my defence, I had 4 hours sleep and a lack of coffee.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

I think when people see volunteer they see "will do anything".

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

How is 'admin' cleaning toilets? I'd be pissed off too.

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By *emmefataleWoman
over a year ago

dirtybigbadsgirlville

The worst I have heard of is St Johns Ambulance. Couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Free labour. They have no intention of helping you gain experience or to update your skills. They sign up for free labour

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By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago

Titz Towers, North Notts

I know someone who does a lot of volunteering, or at least tries to and a lot of the posts he goes for aren't worth it. No one seems interested in him beyond cheap labour.

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By *luezuluMan
over a year ago

Suffolk

And the moral of the story is.

Never volunteer

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"How is 'admin' cleaning toilets? I'd be pissed off too. "

This exactly for me to. I would have been very angry and knowing me would have showed my disgust at them..Oh if looks could kill

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex


"I know someone who does a lot of volunteering, or at least tries to and a lot of the posts he goes for aren't worth it. No one seems interested in him beyond cheap labour. "

There are some very well run volunteer opportunities that I have experience of but they tend to be very specific eg guides in historic houses, charity shops etc.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"The worst I have heard of is St Johns Ambulance. Couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery."

Red Cross are brilliant. I volunteered with them for two years, learnt loads and they really treat you well.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I had the same but on a grander scale. I was looking to get some experience in the kitchen for my CV and a friend retweeted a job specification from the local shelter:

PART TIME KITCHEN ASSISTANT NEEDED FOR TWO HOURS IN THE MORNING THREE TIMES A WEEK.

Perfect, I thought, it gives me what I need and doesn't expect stupid amounts of volunteering from me, taking what little I have for travel and time in between looking for jobs and training.

Nah! It took two months for my application to be processed, then I got an interview and was invited back twice for "a chat" where they told me I'd be expected to put in as much time as I could and to train in other areas in case I was needed in certain situations.

More for my CV, I thought. Nah. Waited from April to September to get the "training" which was a bunch of people telling us what they told us in high school.

'Drugs rrr baaad, mm'kayyy?!'

So I'm thinking this is a lot of bullshit considering what they advertised and I pulled them up on it. I told them what I needed and what I was able to put in. The secret is in the word VOLUNTARY.

Nah. I was now expected to do fundraising, clothes and food collection, laundry, filling in application forms for housing, go out on night patrols to find homeless people, do classes to teach sewing etc. and all manner of stupid shit that the homeless will put up with just to have a roof over their head.

I then had to go for a CRB check and in the two months that beaurocracy crawled by, the manager just kept calling up for a "little chat" to see what I would be doing for her when my CRB check came through clean. I felt literally stalked and harassed.

All this for a PT kitchen assistant role cooking the homeless breakfast. Needless to say I blocked all related numbers.

No wonder they'd rather stay on the street and no wonder there are no volunteers to sort the problem out properly

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"How is 'admin' cleaning toilets? I'd be pissed off too.

This exactly for me to. I would have been very angry and knowing me would have showed my disgust at them..Oh if looks could kill "

Did you tut as well? I would've tutted.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"I had the same but on a grander scale. I was looking to get some experience in the kitchen for my CV and a friend retweeted a job specification from the local shelter:

PART TIME KITCHEN ASSISTANT NEEDED FOR TWO HOURS IN THE MORNING THREE TIMES A WEEK.

Perfect, I thought, it gives me what I need and doesn't expect stupid amounts of volunteering from me, taking what little I have for travel and time in between looking for jobs and training.

Nah! It took two months for my application to be processed, then I got an interview and was invited back twice for "a chat" where they told me I'd be expected to put in as much time as I could and to train in other areas in case I was needed in certain situations.

More for my CV, I thought. Nah. Waited from April to September to get the "training" which was a bunch of people telling us what they told us in high school.

'Drugs rrr baaad, mm'kayyy?!'

So I'm thinking this is a lot of bullshit considering what they advertised and I pulled them up on it. I told them what I needed and what I was able to put in. The secret is in the word VOLUNTARY.

Nah. I was now expected to do fundraising, clothes and food collection, laundry, filling in application forms for housing, go out on night patrols to find homeless people, do classes to teach sewing etc. and all manner of stupid shit that the homeless will put up with just to have a roof over their head.

I then had to go for a CRB check and in the two months that beaurocracy crawled by, the manager just kept calling up for a "little chat" to see what I would be doing for her when my CRB check came through clean. I felt literally stalked and harassed.

All this for a PT kitchen assistant role cooking the homeless breakfast. Needless to say I blocked all related numbers.

No wonder they'd rather stay on the street and no wonder there are no volunteers to sort the problem out properly"

Bloody hell!!!!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"I had the same but on a grander scale. I was looking to get some experience in the kitchen for my CV and a friend retweeted a job specification from the local shelter:

PART TIME KITCHEN ASSISTANT NEEDED FOR TWO HOURS IN THE MORNING THREE TIMES A WEEK.

Perfect, I thought, it gives me what I need and doesn't expect stupid amounts of volunteering from me, taking what little I have for travel and time in between looking for jobs and training.

Nah! It took two months for my application to be processed, then I got an interview and was invited back twice for "a chat" where they told me I'd be expected to put in as much time as I could and to train in other areas in case I was needed in certain situations.

More for my CV, I thought. Nah. Waited from April to September to get the "training" which was a bunch of people telling us what they told us in high school.

'Drugs rrr baaad, mm'kayyy?!'

So I'm thinking this is a lot of bullshit considering what they advertised and I pulled them up on it. I told them what I needed and what I was able to put in. The secret is in the word VOLUNTARY.

Nah. I was now expected to do fundraising, clothes and food collection, laundry, filling in application forms for housing, go out on night patrols to find homeless people, do classes to teach sewing etc. and all manner of stupid shit that the homeless will put up with just to have a roof over their head.

I then had to go for a CRB check and in the two months that beaurocracy crawled by, the manager just kept calling up for a "little chat" to see what I would be doing for her when my CRB check came through clean. I felt literally stalked and harassed.

All this for a PT kitchen assistant role cooking the homeless breakfast. Needless to say I blocked all related numbers.

No wonder they'd rather stay on the street and no wonder there are no volunteers to sort the problem out properly

Bloody hell!!!! "

Did I mention they said they could call me in 7 days a week as well? This wasn't paid either.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"How is 'admin' cleaning toilets? I'd be pissed off too.

This exactly for me to. I would have been very angry and knowing me would have showed my disgust at them..Oh if looks could kill

Did you tut as well? I would've tutted. "

lol might have thrown in a tut for good measure but I have been told via my boss that I do give a great pissed of look

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"How is 'admin' cleaning toilets? I'd be pissed off too.

This exactly for me to. I would have been very angry and knowing me would have showed my disgust at them..Oh if looks could kill

Did you tut as well? I would've tutted.

lol might have thrown in a tut for good measure but I have been told via my boss that I do give a great pissed of look "

Call it an artform, I've been told off for giving people daggers when I'm just deep in thought. Work in Bootle long enough and you do develop one of those faces.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"How is 'admin' cleaning toilets? I'd be pissed off too.

This exactly for me to. I would have been very angry and knowing me would have showed my disgust at them..Oh if looks could kill

Did you tut as well? I would've tutted.

lol might have thrown in a tut for good measure but I have been told via my boss that I do give a great pissed of look

Call it an artform, I've been told off for giving people daggers when I'm just deep in thought. Work in Bootle long enough and you do develop one of those faces. "

People think I'm giving daggers when I'm smiling. oops.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"I had the same but on a grander scale. I was looking to get some experience in the kitchen for my CV and a friend retweeted a job specification from the local shelter:

PART TIME KITCHEN ASSISTANT NEEDED FOR TWO HOURS IN THE MORNING THREE TIMES A WEEK.

Perfect, I thought, it gives me what I need and doesn't expect stupid amounts of volunteering from me, taking what little I have for travel and time in between looking for jobs and training.

Nah! It took two months for my application to be processed, then I got an interview and was invited back twice for "a chat" where they told me I'd be expected to put in as much time as I could and to train in other areas in case I was needed in certain situations.

More for my CV, I thought. Nah. Waited from April to September to get the "training" which was a bunch of people telling us what they told us in high school.

'Drugs rrr baaad, mm'kayyy?!'

So I'm thinking this is a lot of bullshit considering what they advertised and I pulled them up on it. I told them what I needed and what I was able to put in. The secret is in the word VOLUNTARY.

Nah. I was now expected to do fundraising, clothes and food collection, laundry, filling in application forms for housing, go out on night patrols to find homeless people, do classes to teach sewing etc. and all manner of stupid shit that the homeless will put up with just to have a roof over their head.

I then had to go for a CRB check and in the two months that beaurocracy crawled by, the manager just kept calling up for a "little chat" to see what I would be doing for her when my CRB check came through clean. I felt literally stalked and harassed.

All this for a PT kitchen assistant role cooking the homeless breakfast. Needless to say I blocked all related numbers.

No wonder they'd rather stay on the street and no wonder there are no volunteers to sort the problem out properly

Bloody hell!!!!

Did I mention they said they could call me in 7 days a week as well? This wasn't paid either."

I'm rarely shocked but that has shocked me. Fuckinell.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I let it draw out for so long, I suppose, because I understood that funding was scraping the bottom of the barrel and nobody wants to feel guilty for volunteering and then realising the reality that you can't. But they didn't half take the piss.

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By *ack Genuine BullMan
over a year ago

Loughborough

I volunteered for the Samaritans some years ago. Wanted to become a Samaritan, and prepared to give a lot of commitment.

They called me in for an "interview" and spent some time talking......

Then told me I would be perfect as an "ambassador" for the Samaritans.

When I asked what that would entail they explained it was to fund-raise for them amongst my family and friends, and to think up ways of raising money.

I was absolutely disgusted and never went back there again.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"How is 'admin' cleaning toilets? I'd be pissed off too.

This exactly for me to. I would have been very angry and knowing me would have showed my disgust at them..Oh if looks could kill

Did you tut as well? I would've tutted.

lol might have thrown in a tut for good measure but I have been told via my boss that I do give a great pissed of look

Call it an artform, I've been told off for giving people daggers when I'm just deep in thought. Work in Bootle long enough and you do develop one of those faces.

People think I'm giving daggers when I'm smiling. oops. "

Well at least you don't shave your head. I've been likened to Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now lol

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By *hyllyphylly OP   Man
over a year ago

Bradford

So yesterday the manager called and arranged an appointment to chat this aft at 1. I got there and the manager was going to be busy for a hour doing other things. She asked the receptionist to go through the list of things I'd be doing.

At that point I told the receptionist, if she (the manager) can't be bothered to see me, then I can't be bothered donating my time, and walked out.

Guess I'll find some charity shop to help in.

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By *hoe_nixCouple
over a year ago

leeds

don't do charity shop

having a lot of free time on my hands I did one afternoon a week -- lovely I thought hob nobbing with all the little old lady volunteers

reality check -- in a stockroom with community service people making sure they didn't pinch stock or being paired up with special needs kids helping them steam clean stuff without getting steamed to death or flooding the place out

no problem with the special needs kids just felt the company was taking the piss in what they expected of them and used me as an unpaid carer

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I've volunteered for several charities over the years. Am currently with The Silverline, which is a phone befriending service for the elderly.

It's brilliant! I get to chat to a wonderful older lady for half an hour once a week (calls are paid for by the charity) We have a fantastic laugh and it helps her to feel a little less isolated.

The training was mostly on line, with a one day course held locally and of course they did police checks etc.

Anyone who has half an hour a week spare and likes a chat please check out the Silverline website. They're desperate for volunteers and you don't have to tell them about ALL your hobbies

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

When unemployed I applied to volunteer with a well known charity. The application process was so tedious. I had to fill out a large application form, obtain 2 references, have numerous talks on the phone and then attend 2 interviews.. All this just to do some IT/admin volunteering one or two days a week.

I didn't complete the process as I got a paid job much quicker.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago


"So yesterday the manager called and arranged an appointment to chat this aft at 1. I got there and the manager was going to be busy for a hour doing other things. She asked the receptionist to go through the list of things I'd be doing.

At that point I told the receptionist, if she (the manager) can't be bothered to see me, then I can't be bothered donating my time, and walked out.

Guess I'll find some charity shop to help in. "

My hat comes off to you!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

This is really sad for me to read, I work as a countryside ranger for a very big charitable organization.

A big part of my role is to work with volunteers of all sorts and I love it.

I have groups both residential short stay and regular weekly groups, one off volunteering events and my regular teams of volunteers all of whom I work alongside to ensure they get as much out of the experience as the organization I work for and they are volunteering for.

The process we go through for groups is different from that of individuals who wish to volunteer regularly. There is an application process and references but we try to make sure we turn that process around within threes to four weeks from first enquiry.

Most importantly in the process is to ensure there is a need and a clear role description for that volunteering position before taking anyone on and to communicate properly.

I could go on for ages on this but lets say I value my volunteers greatly, they make my day and I couldn't do the job I do without them, in the ten years I've been doing it 6 have converted into full-time employees and many have gone on to change their career path and get work.

Make the process work for you but don't give up on volunteering it's really good fun if it's done right

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By *ee VianteWoman
over a year ago

Somewhere in North Norfolk

I've done several different voluntary jobs over the past few years.

Some have been excellent and others have really taken the piss.

The best was assisting the physiotherapists at a nursing home for young people with severe degenerative neurological conditions. That involved helping in hydrotherapy and physiotherapy sessions in an actual hands on role. The place was brilliant, the people were brilliant and the whole experience was great. I, sadly, had to give it up when I moved.

One of the ones that took the piss was an IT management role for a mental health charity. They 'phoned me on my mobile when I was on holiday, in France, because their network had stopped working. I spent over an hour on the 'phone talking them through tracing the problem and got things working again but that pretty much out the tin hat on things with them.

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