Volunteering nightmare

In the OP, she said "To get my DC into a much sort after childhood activity I volunteered to do some admin for the charity free of charge." which very much implies it, and then at 22.11 on 8th August, the OP directly quoted the poster saying this and didn't refute what had been said.

Shes had plenty of time to say that this wasn't the case hasn't she?
I cant think of any other explanation.

Apologies, started posting a reply to something ages ago and somehow it just posted my half finished reply. Ignore my post above!

It is completely unreasonable behaviour on the part of the charity. It would be useful to know what type of organisation it is. You need to firmly set some boundaries, reiterating what you said you would do and make it clear you will not be on call. I don't know any organisation that would expect that of a volunteer.

How do you know? I've not seen the OPsay this.

Surely they would also collect numbers for volunteers? And organisations like this aren't going to be able to buy every vol

Some groups have this policy,others dont.
I've volunteered in both sorts. I actually don't like it because its so easy for parents who want their children to get in to promise help and then very quickly drop away. As the unit leader it leaves you a ) without the help promised and b) in a totally impossible situation with the child who should return to the wait list but inevitably never does because we are not the evil people some on here seem to think we are.
The policy is just a sign of the desperate need youth organisations have for more volunteers. On the plus side we have got some fantastic new leaders who started because they came to help in this way and ended up staying long after their own children were adults.

Same! I’ve had kids in scouting for over 10 years and I don’t recognise this situation at all (and have been a volunteer for some of this time)

Whereas we can all agree that the OP needs to go back to the person who first asked her to do the role, and get clarification about the expectations (on both sides) so the OP can decide if she needs to set some firmer boundaries or if whoever is making the additional demands can be spoken to, or if indeed she decides to leave, there are an awful lot of people on here who need to go back and look up the meaning of the word 'blackmail'. This is nothing of the sort, and quite frankly just shows you haven't read any of the numerous explanations about a sensible policy to try to reduce waiting lists and offer the activity to as many young people as possible.

Does anyone who is making this ridiculous accusation actually run a youth activity each week ?

This has been explained several times on this thread.

Well the op came on here for advice and people gave it. So it’s up to her now.

Well I guess she's grown up enough to talk to them about that!

They have my number as I had to give a contact for my child (which is fair).

they are actually then allowed to use that number to phone you on, to have searched their files to find your telephone number for another reason other than to call you about your ds is not allowed due to GDPR

Id suggest as admin that you tell them they need GDPR training as if they are making that mistake, there are plenty other data breaches they are likely to be making and as they are a club with children its really going to end in hot water

Surely there’s a GDPR issue here? You gave them your number so they could contact you in an emergency, not so they could have you at their beck and call. I’d be asking them to explain what that’s about and watch them squirm

I agree with 'mydefthedgehog' How dare they threaten your child's place. Such a low' move! Make it clear what you will and won't do. Tell them when you are available to' help out' with their admin. Don't be bullied!

She offered her time not to have personal calls non stop.

This always happens in Volunteering. As others said you only do what you want and able to do.

For some reason these organisations try to treat you as if you’re a paid employee with employment contract. Just turn up when right for you to make the point you won’t be pushed around

Her child was given priority and a place in the unit above others because she offered to take on various tasks. If she decides not to do them then quite rightly her child should return to the waiting list. That is not unfair.
However I would imagine that she will have a conversation about the extra tasks and come to a sensible agreement which suits everyone and allows her child to remain and her to give as much help as she feels able to.

They might be but she doesn’t want to do all the extras they’re basically saying if you don’t do what we want you and your dc can leave. That is harsh.

OP - why aren't you telling us what the "childhood activity" or club is that your DC and you belong to?
Or have you already told us and I've missed seeing it?

She volunteers as a favour to them as you point out. " They " volunteer as a favour to her son and all the others in their units.
They may of overstepped the mark but your comments are unthinking and harsh.

There taking the mick out of you volunteering is about what you can give not what they expect are other parents volunteering to get there kids in to this group. I’m sorry there treating you like crap tell them you offered to do x not x,y and z you are a parent first then an employee to a employer who pays you and you volunteer as a favour to them. How cheeky are these people blackmailing you and your dc. As for the calls ignore until they the message.

I had this when I did something - I would be getting off the phone at midnight and getting calls at 4 am. I nearly keeled over, I operated like that for 3 months and then had a breather that made me see sense

I dealt with it by blocking calls from 10 till 7am and only allowing family calls within that (you can set it up on your phone. Choose whatever hrs you want. If they need to speak to you tell them there is a time slot to call - 6.30 to 7.30 or whatever suits and limit the days etc as well.

Key thing is to do some communication, say you can be avail at these times but you prefer email which you deal with on x and y. You have had to set boundaries so your full time work is not impacted nor your family life. Be clear that x hrs is vol time and anything above and beyond is chargeable so to minimise cost to the club please keep in the time frames. I also had a whats ap grp which I would say I would be online for certain times and stuck to that as well

The club is being a cheeky fucker to be honest

I think that depends on what your role is, and how much time you are prepared to give. I was an assistant cub leader for a few years, I went to weekly meetings, planned the odd meeting, went on camp once a year. But I'm now the main leader - I have a great team of assistant leaders, and we do much more than we did when I first joined. So it's now several hours a week, plus several weekend trips and camps, planning meetings, trustee meetings etc.

However, I have an assistant leader who attends every other week, due to work shifts. I have an assistant leader who attends every week, but doesn't do much else. We have trustees who come to the trustee meetings, but don't really do much else. And that's all fine. People give what they can, and if they can't (or don't want) to give more, then that's a case of setting their boundaries, and other people respecting that.

In the OPs case, it sounds like the boundaries have got a bit blurred. She needs to reset the expectations of the other members by putting in clear boundaries, giving what time she can, and then sticking to it.

I came to say this! I did Cubs and my god it was not a couple of hours a week, no way!!