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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

... to think the gov can eff off if they think I'm going to do voluntary work?

283 replies

woollyideas · 07/02/2011 22:46

I'm really fed up with reading about this hypothetical army of volunteers who will run our libraries, patrol school crossings etc., etc. as part of the old Big Society thingmy. AIBU to think that if I was to be made redundant due to government cuts, I would prefer to lie in bed a bit later than usual, write, paint, read, bake cakes, stick two fingers up to the Condems, etc., after 30-odd years of working? Or do you think I should just pop along and be an unpaid slave happily work for nothing in a local school or something worthy?

What would you do?

OP posts:
Chil1234 · 08/02/2011 07:33

"It makes me wonder if those who support conservatives tend to be less bothered about others?"

Well you can stop your wondering & your sweeping generalisations. A conservative voter that volunteers here.

KaraStarbuckThrace · 08/02/2011 07:36

I volunteer as a peer supporter, but that is in addition to the paid bf Home Visitors.

However this programme is now at risk as we may run short of cash to fund the childcare that myself and the other peer supporters need to provide the support.

I guess that our contribution to Dave's big society Hmm

I think SueWhite said it very well - it is very fucking easy for the likes of Dave and Oik and their other obscenely rich cronies to tell us to do all this free work when they are all sitting on very substantial nest eggs.
And you can't force people to volunteer which mean essential services will be cut!

WimpleOfTheBallet · 08/02/2011 07:40

I know you're all rght....Mutz' Scab commment especially rang true. But a part of me keeps looking to the war...and how people did all kinds of things for the better of society.

It can't be compared to a recsession but people mucked in to keep things enjoyable.

I'll volunteer if our library needs people...I jut will. I don't want to think of another young Mother who hasn't got the library to turn to when she can't afford a playgroup.

I have wonderful memories of taking my elder DD to the library when she was a baby.

HappyMummyOfOne · 08/02/2011 07:54

I dont see whats wrong with volunteering in return for state benefits, I would imagine any such scheme will only be aimed at those on income based benefits so those that use the contributions based benefits as the safety net they were intended for are unlikely to be affected. If you are on benefits for plus 12 months then giving something back is hardly too much to ask for.

Its an ideal view of the world to expect everyone to help in some way. I dont think it will work though even though the benefits to communities etc would be great. Many simply wont bother and those on long term benefits no longer seem them as a safety net but their right so wont be pleased if they have to give something back in return.

I agree though re volunteers being mainly workers fitting it in around their job. Even our PTA is 90% working mothers.

gorionine · 08/02/2011 08:04

I dont see whats wrong with volunteering in return for state benefits,

Do you think that people who now work in libraries as their job (trained for) will get the same money when they have to do it "voluntary" (for state benefits) when they have been made redundant?

shouldnotbehere · 08/02/2011 08:25

Disagree re comments on conservatives volunteering, my family are all conservatives, and various members volunteer. It is work such as Riding for Disabled, flowers in church, coaching youngsters at local cricket club,money raising for NSPCC, League of Friends.

shouldnotbehere · 08/02/2011 08:26

Also volunteer for local museums, such as Ironbridge Gorge Museum and also National Trust. Conservatives do volunteer!!

coldtits · 08/02/2011 08:44

Yes, Shouldbethere. Nice things.

Who's going to do the litterpickng for free?

reelingintheyears · 08/02/2011 08:52

Our friend got community service for drink driving and he was put on litterpicking...tough.

Loads of charities depend on volunteers but now their budgets are being cut so they'll have to shut down completley because even though they don't pay the volunteers they still have admin costs and salaries etc for the people who run the charities.

That in effect already WAS the so called BIG SOCIETY.

southeastastra · 08/02/2011 08:54

exactly reelingintheyears - it doesn't make any sense. i thought these geezers were super educated

donkeyderby · 08/02/2011 08:55

how is anyone going to pay their mortgage or rent on no wages?

Presumably Housing Benefit will soar to even higher levels.

Or there will be 'Volunteer Shanty Towns' where all the librarians etc., will live in cardboard boxes. Lots of people in twin sets and glasses sitting round braziers eating potato peelings...

This Government are really crazy. REALLY crazy.

QueenBathsheba · 08/02/2011 08:57

Noblegiraffe, has hit it on the head. What exactly will people volunteer to do when all the charities and voluntary services have collapsed because of lack of funding or the contracts are taken away because of budget cuts.

I used to do voluntary work, I enjoyed it, it was more rewarding than my paid employment and I received training. I trained in motivational interviewing to work with people who had issues with drugs and alcohol missuse. The charity paid for the training, I doubt they could afford to train people for qualifications if A) they didn't have the income from the funding authourity and B) they were not contracted to undertake the work in the first place.

It was a requirement of the work I was doing to have training and counselling qualifications even as a volunteer. So not only will charities be expected to take up the slack but they will probably not be able to offer training. I think this will have the knock on effect in terms of the quality of services.

Abr1de · 08/02/2011 08:57

'Well you can stop your wondering & your sweeping generalisations. A conservative voter that volunteers here.'

Yup. Another Tory here who volunteers (and works nearly full-time). I help three different organizations. As does my husband. And both sets of parents. They have the traditional paternalistic view that those who are (reasonably) well-off and educated are morally obliged to help other people. I am not so paternalistic but take the view that the kind of world I want my children to grow up in will only happen if people try and help other people.

reelingintheyears · 08/02/2011 08:58

IMHO...David Cameron and George Osbourne are too young to be in the position they are...and that goes for Ed Milliband too.

Abr1de · 08/02/2011 08:59

As was Tony Blair, perhaps, too.

Mind you, Pitt the Younger was, erm, young.

madamimadam · 08/02/2011 09:05

And if I want to volunteer to say, look after the elderly or children, who is going to pay for my vetting to ensure I don't pose a risk to these people?

Or does it not matter, as I'm 'volunteering'? Hmm

As workable, realistic ideas go, the Big Society is up there with letting unicorns run the NHS..

QueenBathsheba · 08/02/2011 09:05

If this Government forces through their idea to compell people to take unpaid work in essential services it will have dire consequences for the growth of the economy and social mobility.

Most councils outsource services, most have had massive budget cuts and most are now laying off all their own staff. These experienced staff will be compelled to offer the same service for no money.

Once this government and any subsequent government realises that their statutory duties can be fulfilled by "slave labour" they will have no incentive to make investment and up the budgets in future years. The cons will no doubt then cut taxes to those who are working!

Do you want to see thousands or young people and your own children consigned to a life of "slave labour"

If there is work to be done then the economic health, social health and the pride of the working masses dictates that this work should be paid.

reelingintheyears · 08/02/2011 09:05

Blimey,just looked up Pitt the younger and he was 24 when he was PM.

DoingAnythingBut · 08/02/2011 09:07

If people have been on benefits for a long time they should be expected to contribute by volunteering. This is a way to build on the often non-existent CVs of those who have been out of work (if they have ever even worked), and helps them to develop skills which enable them to get paid work.

I work with people who have been long term on benefits, helping them to get into paid work, and while the minority are keen to find work, the vast majority are not and they need a kick up the backside!

expatinscotland · 08/02/2011 09:08

'It can't be compared to a recsession but people mucked in to keep things enjoyable.'

They mucked in to keep from starving.

But you're right, you can't compare a war involving an enemy already bombing British cities killing tens of thousands of civilians to paying for the fuck ups and greed of bankers and financial types and getting slapped in the face by their Tory cronies.

ivykaty44 · 08/02/2011 09:13

So if I lose my job - I could then join the band of volunteers that my employer takes on - and I could actually do my own job as a voluneer - er that makes so much sense I wouldn't get a wage and would be supporting hte service I had just been made redundent from [wow]

what a clever government its not really the big socity its the working without a wage brigade

QueenBathsheba · 08/02/2011 09:14

I'm always amazed that anyone would publicly declare they vote conservative. When I was young and naive I voted conservative Grin
since then I have read and experienced more and feel that socialist values of equality and fairness are more "civilised" basically slave labour and exploiting the masses for free labour is immoral.

People who can put food on the table and cloth their kids, who also choose to volunteer-it's ideal isn't it. A mass of unemployed, bitter and disenfranchised people forced into free labour-thats a horror story!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/02/2011 09:15

It is a bloody cheek. All of my work is voluntary and I work really hard. Whilst it is rewarding mentally I would really really like it to be rewarding financially too. But there are no jobs out there that fit in even vaguely with a commuting dh and family life. Absolutely bugger all. And sometimes I think it would be quite nice just to put up two fingers to everything and sit at home and knit a bit.

ivykaty44 · 08/02/2011 09:16

Oh and don't get me wrong the volunteers we have at work are lovely - they are all retired and do a few hours each week. In fact there were already 40 of them before the recession started. there work is valuable and they work on projects that are not worked on by staff.

But a bit like the libraries - they will sack the staff and then of course the same staff could be made to volunteer to get their dole money... farcile

lesley33 · 08/02/2011 09:18

Sorry about the conservative comment - I was wrong obviously.

I agree that encouraging people to volunteer more is a good thing. I hate it when people moan and say that "somebody/the government should do something about x". Why don't you do something! Even if it is to campaign for a service.

However, people volunteer for things they are interested in. Popular volunteering for example includes working with animals and children. This means that less popular causes tend to get less volunteers even if the need is greater.

I'm not morally against people who are unemployed volunteering. However it won't be easy to find activities that people who don't want to volunteer on, could be trusted to do - although litter picking is fine. What I mean by this is if you have a group of people who really don't want to volunteer and couldn't give a monkey's, asking them to look after children or elderly people isn't a good idea. They need to do something that if they muck it up, won't have serious consequences.