This is potentially a huge subject, but as is my want, I shall look at this from Malcolm’s point of view. The idea for this as title for a blog entry was prompted by the possibility that I may become Chair of the Nottingham Credit Union next month. This is to not ‘count chickens’ but I have expressed a wish, I believe I have some support, but it depends on what other candidates emerge and how my fellow Directors vote on the night. So a little muse about volunteering in general seemed in order.
Whatever happens then, I will still probably continue for two more years (after which I would need to get re-elected), but, and here’s the huge difference between voluntary activities and paid roles,.......... I can walk away whenever and for whatever reasons I choose.
Some people, maybe a lot of people, would like to leave their current role but are tied by the need to pay the mortgage or rent, eat, cloth etc themselves and their dependents, Freed from economic circumstances they would have similar choices. I wonder how some businesses and organisations would manage if they had no carrot and stick to retaining staff.
Much is said about the value of volunteers and statistics suggest millions of days of unpaid work helping organisations of all types. So why do people do it ?
In musing for this article I recalled my own history, which may or may not be typical. I have done voluntary stuff for many years. I was a Citizens Advice Bureau advisor, I was Treasurer of the Derby Branch of the now disappeared Institution of Training Officers , I was Chairman of Camblesforth Village Hall in North Yorkshire, a National Committee member and then briefly Chair of a national medical charity, a founder and then Chair of an alternative ‘break away’ charity.
I was a sort of ‘Secretary’ to an amateur drama group, the Newsletter Editor and then Vice Chair of Pines Park Archers, I was (and am again) a Magistrate and more recently was a Director of the Nottingham Domestic Violence Forum, ................and some other stuff which I may well have forgotten.
I have settled at the moment for the Credit Union, being an IT Tutor for over 50’s and a Magistrate again, but I do keep an eye on what is wanted elsewhere from time to time. This is perhaps the point, some people do ‘good works’ others just get roped into being a Committee member of the Playgroup, Scouts or a local club or society, others and I suspect quite a few, just drift into something, often because no one else wants to organise or do whatever is needed.
People do this stuff sometimes from a sense of altruism, a wish to share their skills and knowledge, a personal connection with a cause or illness or at the other end of the spectrum. as a way of getting experience and confidence. Also perhaps, and some may not admit it, because they enjoy the ‘power and influence’ or of course for some they just want people to talk to and a routine in their week or day.
I freely admit that in many ways I have gained personal satisfaction from problem solving and setting things right, well as right as I think is right...........indeed if judging by comparisons with paid work, whilst I was a Senior Manager and Head of Department, I never became a Director until I retired !
But so what............. volunteers should get a payback, as there is no money involved, other motivators will come into play. Even if you got involved by accident or because everyone else took a sharp step backward, you do want the usual human factors recognition, achievement, satisfaction.
The ‘employers’ of volunteers have a difficult path to tread, attracting, keeping and organising volunteers whilst ensuring that their work is up to standard and consistent with other volunteers and paid staff alike. However the natural human situation is to want to be clear about what needs doing, to be confident in doing it well and of course to be appreciated. So perhaps it shouldn’t be too difficult to manage and motivate volunteers.
What is very reassuring as a volunteer is that if you don’t like the way things are going, if someone who is in some ways interacting with you, really gets on your wick, its easy, you can just leave..............and do something else.
So maybe that’s a clue for managers of volunteers,............. remembering that a volunteer’s tolerance for others’ stupidity, rudeness or incompetence is lower than paid staff.
