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.

I would run!

It doesn't sound like a good start to working relationship. Do you want to be working with somone who makes you feel uncomfortable and awkward?

I would text her to say you're very sorry but due to a change in circumstances, you won't be able to volunteer now. Wish her luck with her new position and you hope she manages to find someone else. End of.

As someone else said there are loads of other volunteering opportunities. If you really want to do guides there must be another pack in your area that might need an extra pair of hands or what about a brownie pack?

Seriously, I would get out now, she sounds v difficult.

YANBU.
But woman, not girl.

Another Brownie leader here.

As others have said, there are resources you can buy (from unit funds) that give girls and parents all the relevant info about the ethos of Guiding etc. There's absolutely no need to create your own, even if you do want to give parents some supplementary stuff about your unit.

I give all parents a list of all the unit team (leaders and other volunteers) and also the 'house rules' about paying subs on time etc etc. I do email newsletters most weeks, with reminders about upcoming activities etc. I emphatically do not do anything that requires going to a print shop (except if my printer breaks down) or laminating. There's a difference between doing a good job and going OTT.

In your shoes, I would be trying to get a placement with a unit in my own town. Perhaps you should make a direct approach? Even when we are full, I never turn a volunteer away, as we have quite a lot of turnover, so numbers always fluctuate.

Totally agree with Felicity's comments, this Guider sounds outrageous in her requirements from a new volunteer. I am in Scouting and we treat our new volunteers with kid gloves, wouldn't dream of asking them to do something like this - and it is unecessary anyway, all that sort of literature exists and has been planned for you. We would expect new volunteers to come to a few meetings just an observer and then very gently ask them if there is anything specific they would like to do.

Really suggest you try another group (or Cubs/Scouts ) - where do you live?

It sounds like this new "lady in charge" is trying to make a name for herself.
If she is treating all the other volunteers this way I suspect she's not going to last very long.

Nightmare! Totally agree you must stand up to her.
Great advice you've had about using ready made packs.
You need to be VERY clear about what you can offer in terms of your time too - explain you have just that one evening to help out with the club and no time to be working at home other than that. Stay firm and say they'll need to find alternative help if what you're offering doesn't suit them.
I would add all this to the email you're sending about the welcome packs. People like this will play on your guilt, and you need to be very firm right from the start or you'll be walked all over.

I think this woman is asking a lot, but only I because you're still a newbie. Volunteering does take up a lot of time, and it's prettyu well know that as soon as you show willing in most organisations, things will be asked of you.

You shouldn't have to pay, of course not, but it's really not unheard of for volunteers to pay and then claim the expenses back. Many organisations do it this way. I know mine does, and as I do the bookkeeping I find it so much easier to pay money back when I have a receipt and completed expenses form. We are only a small, very new charity, Im not sure how I'm supposed to justify handing out charity money without paperwork like that. I expect it's if different for a huge organisation like the Girl Guides, but I do think you have to be realistic.

If you can't do what was asked then you just have to say no, but bear in mnd that the person you are saying no to is also a volunteer who is probably giving up a huge amount of time and money herself.

I do Beavers and we have a welcome pack. We email it as a PDF file to new parents, why on earth would you want it glossy printed and bound? Nonsense. Also, the cost needs to be paid from section funds, not from you. Just say you will not do it.

This is also a long term financial commitments - you will have - what - up to 10 new joiners every year? so does she expect you to fork out every year for new packs?

I would agree that you need to nip this is the bud,

"Dear bossy guide leader

After our meeting, I felt you were pressuring me to spend a lot of time and my own money on the welcome pack. This is not something Im prepared to do.

The Guide Association has official welcome packs which I think are better than anything I would have time to produce. They are available from the guide shop at £XX which is considerably less time and effort than me replicating the whole thing. Maybe something to think on.

It is possible that we could encourage older girls to create a unit specific welcome pack for their BP challenge. This has been done successfully at other units."

I used to be an assistant guide leader too (and district ranger leader). The welcome packs sounds completely OTT, and as others have said there are plenty of published packs the will do the majority of the job anyway. All parents need is max one page of A4 when starting and then a one page newsletter at the end of each term with the next terms calendar on and extra info as and when. As a parent I wouldn't want a big binded pack as I scan newletters etc and then shred and compost (we try to be as paperless as possible) if I cannot get them digitally in the first place.
Personally I wouldn't want to work with this woman at all now. I dread to think of the horrors of guide camp with this woman! Seriously, I think I would be looking for another group to work with. Guiding can be great fun for the leaders too but I really cannot see how it could be working alongside someone like this.

More advice from a fellow Guider...

Don't spend out loads for printing etc. The girls won't read/appreciate it, the parents will read it once and it'll get filed. How about emailing it? Also you don't need to reinvent the wheel, see what other units do and definitely use the welcome letters and handbooks produced by GGUK.

Guides (aged 10 to 14) are empowered to do a lot of stuff themselves e.g. they should be writing or updating the unit guidelines themselves with your input. They should be making drinks and snacks for the unit (each patrol takes a turn) chosen by them provided by the unit.

I'd suggest visiting another unit before committing to this unit in another town. At least see how it's done by an experienced unit. Unfortunately it isn't just a couple of hours a week it can easily creep up and it would be a good idea to find out what other stuff you might be roped in to help with.

But at the end of the day it has to be enjoyable for you.

Our Group Scout Leader produces our welcome packs for Cubs when they start - I can guarantee most people will take out the three forms they need to fill in and give me the rest back to recycle - they really are not interested in all the guff he produces

As it's guides you are talking about, HQ are issuing welcome packs directly to new members from either sept or november, so need to make them up really.

Guides in MC areas can be a bit lax about expenses, but that is ridiculous.

I get the feeling the DDs lovely old leader, didn't always charge for things she should have.

I used to run a Brownie pack as a Post Grad. I didn't claim for travel as, without the junk, I could have walked.

I did claim for everything else. Always ended up perhaps £10-20 out of pocket because I'm awful at losing receipts.
But no way could I have afforded piles of printing.

I've done free publicity for school and I daren't add that up. It's a mugs game, don't start.

This is just ridiculous. Nobody prints small quantities of colour printouts - they cost a fortune. Why would anyone ask a complete novice (no offence!) to write material that could easily be completely wrong? Why should you, a volunteer of five minutes' standing pay for the printing? And if the resources are available, then what a waste of time and effort and money doing it yourselves.

I would look to volunteer somewhere else - this woman sounds like a fool.

You should not be out of pocket through volunteering. Don't feel guilty about her giving you transport: she should be claiming mileage for this.

I'm a brownie guider, I give up my time for free but I do get expenses back. I'd be concerned at the lack of team work from her. I work part time and have 2 children but my fellow guider pulls her weight too even though she's full time and is doing her leaders qualification.

You should not be paying for this.
You should also probably tell her what you are and aren't prepared to do in the future with regards to your volunteer efforts so she's clear where she stands.

It doesn't have to be confrontational.

You wouldn't get many volunteers if they came across the woman in OP!

She doesn't sound like a very good team worker, her attitude would put me off tbh if she is like that from the start I can see her being rather demanding.

Is it specifically guides you want to volunteer with? Otherwise look at your local st John ambulance or scouts

It does seem as though you might have difficulties in standing up to her in the future, if you haven't felt able to stand up to her now about this welcome pack, which doesn't even seem to be needed. My advice fwiw is to try to find a pack which is nearer and which has a leader who is less intimidating. As Felicity said, it's meant to be a pleasant experience for you too.

Another 20+ year brownie leader here. Agree with the other leaders, never heard of self made welcome packs before and think this women is bonkers.

We have a leaders meeting before the start of term and together plan everything we're going to do over the term and share out all the jobs. The newest volunteers always get the simplest, most rewarding jobs until they find their feet.

As for laminating, both districts I've been in have their own laminator which can be borrowed by individual groups as needed. No need to pay outside companies for laminating.

I do accounts check work for various local charities, and I don't know of ANY that expect volunteers to be out of pocket.
If you don't have the time to get as involved as this woman seems to expect, then just tell her. Your job /family/personal commitments are irrelevant, if you don't want to commit more than x hrs a week/month/year then that's your perogative and you don't need to explain or justify it: just tell her "sorry, I can only and nothing more". If she doesn't like it then say it again, until she gets the message. If it menas that you are unsuitable for the role, then so be it; there are loads of organisations who would welcome you.

Another Guider here. Her welcome packs are OTT. Speak to the DC, you need to be happy with the Unit you are in. If there is nothing in your District then maybe you could go to the Div Com as you may be close to a District boundary and crossing over to the next one may be better for you.

Our girls get the official welcome pack when they join. We fill in our contact details on the starting form but don't add anything else in. We don't give out copies of the term plan, things change as the term goes on and also then they can't pick and choose which nights to come :o

I'm happy to answer any questions you have by PM if you don't want to post them directly on here.