To think it shouldn't cost me money to do volunteer work?

[EnterWittyNicknameHere]

I've applied to do volunteer work one evening a week at a Girl Guide's club. I had a meeting last week with the lady in charge (she's just been newly appointed too, so we're both newbies) and she went over the plans for when the club starts back over the summer.

She wants to make up a welcome pack for the parents/families, and a monthly newsletter.

She said she works full-time so wants to know if i can take on both these tasks. I've said i work too, albeit part-time, and can't we half the workload?

She gave me a bit of a funny look and said 'How about i'll do the monthly newsletter and you do the welcome packs.'

I felt a bit awkward at this stage, we were in her house, and i could sense some confrontation coming (which i hate!) so agreed.

Then she went on to tell me what should be in the welcome packs.

It's a bloody novel she's wanting! She wants ten pages on describing what out club's about; rules and our ethos; an annual timetable; info on myself and her; what snacks will be on offer; what actvities we'll be doing etc etc.

I said, 'Okay, let's brainstorm just now so i can get a first draft of it and type it up next week.'

She gave me ANOTHER funny look and said 'Ummmm, didn't we just agree that you'd do the welcome packs yourself?'

So i left it.

She then went on to tell me that she wants them all printed out in colour, binded and laminated by the time the club restarts in a few weeks.

This is going to cost a fortune! I said, 'That's fine as i live next to a print shop anyway, but i'll need the money upfront.'

Another funny look. "Ummm what money?'

'The money from the club's accounts. The money left over from last year that the girl's paid. The money that's intended for funding things like this.'

She gave a bug huffy sigh and said, "I don't know about that as i don't have access to the accounts yet. Can't you pay it just now and we'll see if we can sort it out when we start back?"

I was feeling really awkward and rather mousey by this stage (she's really intimidating! But i'm such a pushover i'd be intimidated by a gerbil), so i mumbled "I'll have a think and get back to you." And i left.

She's text today: "Hey X, what's happening with these welcome packs?"

I've yet to respond.

Help me! This volunteer work is something i really want to do, but i didn't think i'd have to pay for it!

Another reason i feel like i should just pay out and do the welcome packs is because this girl has agreed to drive me there and back each week (free) as we live practically two streets from each other, and otherwise it would cost me £15 in taxi fare each week.

But i know if i don't stand up to her now, she'll be expecting me to fund other Guide-stuff in the future.

Yes, she will.

There is nothing wrong with saying "It will cost £X, when you arrange for the club to release the funds, I can get the packs made up."

Just act incredulous that she would expect you to pay to have the packs made up yourself when that's what the club funds are for.

And tell her you don't have the money available to pay up front.

And if she carries on - talk to someone else within the group or higher up in the organisation about it.

Expenses like this should come out of the club's bank account. Not yours. It should already be set up tbh. If you can't access the account she either needs to arrange payment to the printers herself or get you added as a signatory (if that's the right word) on the account.

Stand your ground now about the money otherwise she will do this for evermore. To be honest I wouldn't want to be working with her at all from the sounds of it!

I would call whoever the rep is for your area and find out if they need a volunteer for a closer group of girls.

She sounds like a nutter

You shouldn't be funding anything - I'm a cub leader and any out of pocket expenses should come out of funds.

It's not a problem for us because we agree in advance costs and then the person gets reimbursed immediately

"that doesn't work for me" when she suggests you paying up front

Also as a voluntary organisation should you be spending exorbitant amounts on welcome packs?

My advice is to run like the wind and don't look back. There are plenty of volunteering opportunities out there who will appreciate you and not onto date you or cause you expense. I'm sure there are probably other guide troops around too. PM me if you like as this is the role I work in (volunteer placement) and I might be able to help find you something or point you to websites etc.

The above posters are right - you should have a line manager - do you know who that is?

Tell her to stick it up her arse.

But you're willing to pay money to do the volunteer work anyway (£15 every week in cab fares)?

Do the pack, get a quote, and then go back to her and say it will cost X much and I don't have that to pay and get reimursed.

Plus, I wouldn't do the pack entirely on my own in that I'd get a draft done first and send it to her to have a look at (put a deadline on this) just in case there's anything that you've thought differently from her, or she has ideas on. But do make it a clear deadline, like say a couple of days, and she had to come back to you if that's a problem.

Onto date? Intimidate! Predictive text grrr

In most volunteering roles travel expenses are reimbursed though, as well as any other expenses incurred for thee role.

She sounds really pushy and annoying.

IMO there's no problem with volunteers sometimes needing to contribute money - if you know that's the deal it's fine - but it should be clear from the outset and she shouldn't be assuming she can just tell you what to do instead of having a discussion about it.

I know a fair few people get put off doing guides/scots because of the CRB and that being pricey, which is a shame but the way it goes - I thought you were going to post about something like that but what you describe sounds completely annoying and rude to you.

Ok, some advice from a fellow guider.

1. You should be buying ready made up welcome packs from GGUK, they are great and come packed in bags 10 year olds love. Don't make your own, that way madness lies.

1. By you I obviously mean the unit, you should not be buying anything out of your own money.

1. If she intimidates you talk to your district comminissioner or mentor about it. If you don't know who these people are look online for your district or division commissioner and ring them up.

1. guiding is great, this doesn't sound great so perhaps think about volunteering with a different unit, it is supposed to be fun for you as well.

1. PM me or ask on here if you want to know anything else.

Exactly - go and get the quote then text her back and say I got the quote, it's £x, can that be covered from funds?

LRD- CRBs for volunteers are free and paperwork should be provided for you, checked and sent off for you.

Ooh, well done Felicity for saving the OP a pile of work'

Hi thanks everyone.

No, GateGipsy. I applied online to GirlGuiding Uk and got a call back from someone saying the only vacancies are at this Guides which is in the next town from me. I said it would cost about £7 to get there and £7 to get back each week, and i can't afford this. She said that the new leader lives next to me, so she'd sort it that this new leader could give me a lift, and it wouldn't cost me anything.

I'll text her just now saying, i definitely need the money upfront as i can't risk not getting it back. I hope she doesn't think i'm stingey. And i've no idea where i'm going to find the time to think up and write all this info for the welcome packs. Is it unreasonable to ask her to do half, even though i've already agreed to do it?

Really wish i had more confidence!

Thanks for that Felicity!

I'm googling it just now and shall email her the info. Why didn't she already know this?

Yes, she is fully qualified and warranted. They've asked if i want to take the leadership training too but i said i'm happy just being a weekly helper for now but i'll see how it goes. Mums will be helping out too. I think there's a rota system.

I honestly think we'll get along fine in the future so long as i nip this in the bud now. I think the lady who called me offering the position is the main lady in charge. She's ressponsible for all the guiding groups in this area. So if anything were to happen, i'd just give her a call.

I was a Guides Leader and we would literally claim back every little thing - our main leader insisted on it, even for things like a new pack of crayons or some new juice. We would never have expected to pay for anything ourselves.

Being a Guide Leader is quite a lot of work though, fun work that can be really enjoyable, but there's a lot going on behind the scenes - equally, the main Guide Head office will give you loads of resources too.

Enter, don't put up with this! Seriously dont make your own welcome packs they already exist, they come with proper merchandise, a free book, gift, welcome cards etc...

Also IMHO if this is the joy you've had by doing it the 'official' way, go down to your closest unit (church hall/community centre wherever) and talk to a local leader about wanting to help. You're much more likely to get into a unit you like this way.

In order for it to work for either you or the girls there needs to be a good working friendship between you and the other leader.

Hi OP. I am a volunteer with Girlguiding UK. I would advise you to contact your District Commissioner and discuss this with her. A printed and bound welcome pack does seem unnecessary - I've been a Guider for 25 years and never heard of any units doing this. Most units will use the "Starting Rainbows/Brownies/Guides" leaflets which also have the permission form attached. They are available to order from Girlguiding UK Shop and cost £2 for 10 leaflets. You will also find other resources there for your unit and the costs for all of these should come out of your unit funds. There is absolutely no need for you to be subsidising any resources for your unit. I can see that it would be nice to give the parents a sheet with information about the leaders (although the contact information would go on the Starting leaflet) and a term planner, but you could just pop this in your monthly newsletter. One thing which has really reduced our time and cost in terms of communications is to use email to send out this type of information - just make sure when you email parents to put their details in the BCC field so you don't inadvertently give them each others email addresses. Hope that helps.

She is clearly a power-crazed loon. I bet you she says 'ah, but we want our OWN pack'...she is planning world domination one GG group at a time. Stand your ground. You do not want to be her minion!

Ok x post, I tried to google them for you and I think you need a membership number and to be in the 'leaders' only part of the shop to buy them.

She should know this, it worries me that she doesn't. As the warrented guider in charge it should be her buying this stuff and claiming it back, not you in your first week.

Think about doing the LQ it isn't that onerous (no time limit) but you get support, and you will meet more people and be able to suss things out better for yourself.