What volunteering do you do?

[glasgowcyclist]

I’ve just remembered that we use a lot of corporate volunteers. Many (usually larger) companies will allow staff up to two volunteering days’ leave a year. This is paid leave, so the volunteer doesn’t lose out.

We have a pool of around 80 businesses in the city which do this and it massively boosts our workforce.

So, for those who are still in full-time employment, check with your HR department and see if they’ll let you do this. It doesn’t have to be for a specific charity. You choose which one you want to support.

 

[C R]

I’ve just remembered that we use a lot of corporate volunteers. Many (usually larger) companies will allow staff up to two volunteering days’ leave a year. This is paid leave, so the volunteer doesn’t lose out.

We have a pool of around 80 businesses in the city which do this and it massively boosts our workforce.

So, for those who are still in full-time employment, check with your HR department and see if they’ll let you do this. It doesn’t have to be for a specific charity. You choose which one you want to support.

A few of us in our company volunteer as mentors to A level students, on company time.

 

[BrumJim]

Currently 'volunteering' as DS, technical support, mechanic and pit crew for a young cyclo-cross star, as well as home help for a lady with health issues.

OK, just being a Dad and husband, I guess!

Not so much these days. Done youth work at Church, treasurer and elder. Now, work give me 2 volunteering days a year, which I spend doing STEM activities at local schools. Also an Accredited Marshall for British Cycling (I have the legal power to stop traffice with a lollipop), although not too sure how many events I can do next year.

 

[Moon bunny]

I occasionally make a pie for the food bank. I used to help with a certain charity giving advice to the long term sick, but was disillusioned by the number who, on receiving ESA back pay, went straight to a tattoo parlour.
Volunteering in a museum led to my present career.

 

[Psamathe]

I've always been not so great with people, as I've aged I've come to realise I often get on better or find things easier with animals than people. So my volunteering has been based indirectly on my training, so volunteer zookeeping and caring for animals (eg in Amazon caring for illegally traded monkeys).

Ian

 

[Punkawallah]

I've always been not so great with people, as I've aged I've come to realise I often get on better or find things easier with animals than people. So my volunteering has been based indirectly on my training, so volunteer zookeeping and caring for animals (eg in Amazon caring for illegally traded monkeys).

Ian

A rather disparaging description of warehouse workers, but here we are . . .

 

[Kingfisher101]

I've done quite a bit in the past, none at present but would consider doing a small amount in the future if it benefitted people/or the environment and also myself. I'm fairly disillusioned with it. I've seen volunteers being trained when there was no actual role for them just to keep the people in paid positions still employed. Also in a lot of places its the volunteers doing an awful lot of work and just getting their bus fare. When its like a full time job and very hard work as well, I don't think that's right personally. I think you have to have boundaries with it to ensure you don't get exploited/ used, whatever you want to call it.

 

[Bristolian]

After demobbing from the Regular Army in 1977, I spent 23 years as a volunteer with the Army Cadet Force and TAVR, leaving in 2000. Since then I have been a volunteer 4x4 driver taking NHS staff to hard to reach places during winter months or, as now, when roads get flooded and I am an Observer with IAMRoadsmart. More recently I have become a volunteer with my Regiment's charity providing support to both serving soldiers and veterans who find themselves in distress mentally. This is very rewarding.

 

[Mike Ayling]

Just reminded that I was Blood Donor for a lot of my life. My GP finally retired me as he said my red blood cells were taking too long to regenerate.

 

[richardfm]

Just reminded that I was Blood Donor for a lot of my life. My GP finally retired me as he said my red blood cells were taking too long to regenerate.

I didn't think to say being a blood donor when I replied to the thread, but like you, I have been a donor for much of my life. Well over 100 donations now.

 

[Moon bunny]

so I say well let me do that expensive job for you, for free and then they invent a rule to stop a volunteer doing it.

I spent a while as a cat herd volunteer supervisor with the NT,
I’m not aware of your specific situation, but there are laws about replacing paid workers with volunteers, it could land the employer in hot water, just as making redundancies and immediately replacing the “let go” employees with lower paid people could.

 

[cyberknight]

Only stuff i do is ride leader for the cycle club , when you factor in the whole ride , planning routes based on road knowledge , traffic , areas liable to have issues due to weather and road works along with knowledge of cafes and knowing the abilities of your group not to mention 1st aid etc its a lot more involved than just turning up .

 

[Gillstay]

I spent a while as a cat herd volunteer supervisor with the NT,
I’m not aware of your specific situation, but there are laws about replacing paid workers with volunteers, it could land the employer in hot water, just as making redundancies and immediately replacing the “let go” employees with lower paid people could.

So having a contractor in making a profit is more important than saving some money to do much needed tasks ?
Also many of the tasks I offered to do they did not have the skills to do.

 

[Emanresu]

but was disillusioned by the number who, on receiving ESA back pay, went straight to a tattoo parlour.

Oh...the difficult bit. The national charity I volunteered for had a 'no judgments' mantra which I really struggled with especially when doing debt and benefits advice. But as time went on it turned out to be the way to do it as you could have a more honest discussion with people along the lines of "this is what we can do, it's up to you to make a decision". Treating people as a fellow adult who could/should make their own life choices.

I’m not aware of your specific situation, but there are laws about replacing paid workers with volunteers, it could land the employer in hot water, just as making redundancies and immediately replacing the “let go” employees with lower paid people could.

This is the one that killed my enthusiasm. The government passing on more and more work to charities and making the charities 'bid' for work. It was wasteful in time and effort for the unsuccessful charities and no matter how good the volunteers (and some paid staff) we were never as good as the people we replaced who had years of training and experience. Oscar Wilde's “The cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

Volunteering with a charity for veterans now - people who have actually done something for us to allow us to get on with our lives.

 

[cyberknight]

I spent a while as a cat herd volunteer supervisor with the NT,
I’m not aware of your specific situation, but there are laws about replacing paid workers with volunteers, it could land the employer in hot water, just as making redundancies and immediately replacing the “let go” employees with lower paid people could.

Kind of reminds me of something happened to me 30 odd years ago , i was an assistant manager for a small local supermarket chain and i was told i wasnt up to the job but could train my replacement who was marrying into the owners family .........