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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

aibu not doing any voluntary work, church need treasurer.

52 replies

bedraggledmumoftwo · 22/03/2015 12:23

In church this morning they announced they were desperately looking for a treasurer. I am a qualified accountant and feel like I should really volunteer.

For context, I have a 1yo and 3yo. I work full time with a long commute but have applied to go part time as the long days are killing me. Part of me thinks it would be silly to then sign up for something else having cut my paid hours! But at the same time I feel like I should really give something back. Whether it I possible at all will depend on the time commitment, if it is say 2-3 hours a week, yes,2 days obviously wouldn't be viable.

I keep reading about people doing voluntary work, but am wondering what you do, why and how much time it takes up.

If I am about to drop my hours is it unreasonable for me not to volunteer when I have the skills they need?

OP posts:
trilbydoll · 22/03/2015 12:30

How about saying you'll do the independent examination each year instead? Just to warn you though, me and DH currently have two sets of accounts to sign off and the church ones are a total nightmare, because the treasurer isn't an accountant. I think we're going to have to tick the bank.

Judging by the number of transactions, in theory being treasurer wouldn't be a massive commitment but in practice I think you would have people asking for cheques several times a week. You'd also have a monthly evening meeting. I wouldn't volunteer until I retired!

trice · 22/03/2015 12:31

If you will have to pay for child care while you volunteer I would suggest leaving it for a couple of years. You could offer to support and advise the new treasurer?

Ejzuudjej · 22/03/2015 12:35

I think most volunteers have children who are older. Give yourself a break Smile

TwoAndTwoEqualsChaos · 22/03/2015 12:40

I have been the Church Treasurer. As well as the actual doing of the accounts, there will he commitment to meetings (PCCs every other month and Standing Committee regularly in my case). TBH, working and having small children, as well as already feel in time pressures, I would be cautious about taking it on, as it is, inevitably, more work than one realises. If you feel you "ought" to, why not see if the Church could set up a team of people who each take on a different aspects of the role, as I have seen in some Churches, so what you do isn't the full job or offer to help with a particular thing, like year end. It would also depend how big the Church is and how much money and financial activity there is. If you are seriously considering it, a chat to the out-going Treasurer might clarify things. I don't think you ought to feel pressure but, perhaps, get people you trust outside of the situation to also pray for certainty either way for you.

Original poster
bedraggledmumoftwo · 22/03/2015 13:24

Ah, does sound like I might bite off more than I could chew. Evening meetings would be particularly difficult as dh away all week. Maybe I will offer to provide advice/support/audit etc but not the treasurer itself.

It wouldn't cost me childcare except the evening meetings. The nursery charges the same as three days for full time so I will leave them officially full time and take them out when I am off to enable me to stay flexible for work. Dd1 will start pre school in September, but she will still be in school for three hours on my days off if I do go part time.

Maybe I will start a financial contribution instead. We don't currently give other than in the collection, but could afford to do so and I have started to get this niggling feeling that we should give something back now we are comfortably well off, be it time or money.

OP posts:
KeepsTrying · 22/03/2015 13:33

YANBU

I've taken on many voluntary roles over the years (including treasurer for a sports club) but I didn't do any formal/regular voluntary work when the DC were little. Now they are older (late primary school age) I feel like I do have the time and energy to commit, and therefore have started again - but that is only because I have part-time hours.

SandysMam · 22/03/2015 16:20

I'm sure the God as you know him (and I'm not looking to start a religious debate here!!) would rather you looked after your babies and your health and sanity for the time being, and any one in your congregation who doesn't understand that isn't being very Christian IMHO. Plenty of time in the future to volunteer when you have less on your plate!

LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 22/03/2015 16:38

I'm a great believer in doing some sort of voluntary work and I find it very difficult to say no; but please learn from me, I've run myself ragged. Don't do it for now, you've a lot on your plate, see how you feel after being p/t for a year or so and enjoy your children without being stressed.

iwaly · 22/03/2015 16:41

the main problem with taking something like this on is that unless you plan to move away from the area or something equally dramatic, you will find that you cannot pass the job on in a couple of years time if you go back to full time work for example as no one will take it over from you. I took on a role somewhere and it wasn't until I literally left town that someone else was forced to step forward!!

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 22/03/2015 16:42

Yabu. That's the point of volunteering. You have a choice

lavendersun · 22/03/2015 16:47

After leaning to say no I now do very little on a voluntary basis. I do a couple of independent examinations on both accounts and procedures but tbh I got really fed up.

The head of one organisation I used to audit was terribly disorganised, I had to do a quarterly review. The day I turned up at his office and he had gone out and never apologised or mentioned it was it for me. He actually offered to pay me to do it after I resigned the cheeky man!

Don't do it, enjoy any time you have with your children, there is time enough for things like that when you get old Grin.

MetellaEstMater · 22/03/2015 16:54

Don't do it. I have a one and a four year old, similar full time job/long days, and stupidly volunteered to be a trustee of a very small charity 18 months ago and subsequently was volunteered to be Treasurer when I missed a meeting due to DD being a matter of days old Confused

It's a total nightmare. I'm constantly being harangued. Nothing too arduous but cumulatively it takes time. There is a reason all of the other Trustees are volunteers.

I should just resign but I havent quite found the guts right moment.

MetellaEstMater · 22/03/2015 16:56

Sorry should say 'all of the other Trustees are hello'!

MetellaEstMater · 22/03/2015 16:56

Shit. I give up. VOLUNTEERS

I need sleep.

stubbornstains · 22/03/2015 16:57

Funny, every voluntary group I've ever been involved in has found the position of treasurer most difficult to fill.....there must be a reason for this! Beware! (my role is normally designing nice posters Smile).

MetellaEstMater · 22/03/2015 16:57

RETIRED Confused

Seriously is 5pm too early for bed?

Chippednailvarnish · 22/03/2015 17:00

I'm an accountant and I have just finished as a charity trustee after doing it for five years after previously being the independent examiner.

Never again. Don't do it! There are plenty of people who don't work / don't have small children who can step up.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 22/03/2015 17:04

I always think that the one post that needs a volunteer with some relevant experience is Treasurer. Why is this never made clear!

katese11 · 22/03/2015 18:29

I've just finished a paid position as church finance officer and yes, it was a lot of work. People wanted to talk to me every Sunday even though I wasn't officially working. Maybe you could help out in an advisory capacity?

Ragwort · 22/03/2015 18:41

I think most volunteers have children who are older. - not necessarily Grin

Some people love volunteering, some people don't - just don't be one of those people who moan that nothing gets done, why haven't we got a Church Treasurer etc etc.

I've always done some form of volunteering since I was a teenager - I love it, it's just a great big part of my life and I have met many amazing people and done things I would never have dreamed of doing had I not volunteered.

SeaMedows · 22/03/2015 18:44

I have the opposite question, and would appreciate advice from those on this thread!

I Need to increase my finance experience in order to move to a more demanding role at work (charitable sector). I wondered about offering to act as an assistant to the treasurer on the PCC. I do a certain amount of finance at work (planning my budget to achieve objectives, tender process, accepting quotes, writing POs, signing off work and putting invoices forward for payment) but we're a big organisation and most is done by the Finance Team.

What do people think? Would I be able to be of help? Would I be overwhelmed with stuff?

toddlewaddleflipflop · 22/03/2015 18:53

I have experience of church treasuring and say DON'T DO IT. Enjoy your children, manage work. It's enough. Regular financial contributions are a good idea for lots of reasons, including spiritual ones, so go for it.

BackforGood · 22/03/2015 19:13

It will depend on the size of your CHurch - well, your Church budget as to if this is a big job or not ~ some Churches employ people, have hundreds attend, have people gift-aiding, have people hiring rooms, have lots of people using the premises and have massive utility bills, etc.,etc.

In our Church, what they did was break the job up a bit.
There is one person who just deals with the Gift Aid
There are two people who deal with any cash / cheques / bills - from collection to paying for small repairs, etc
Someone else deals with the employment side (only a few hours for a cleaner, nothing bigger)
The 'treasurer' does the budget for the year, and produces a balance sheet 2 or 3 times a year and obviously a full set of accounts each year. However, on a weekly basis they don't have much to do.
They are entitled to go to Leadership Team meetings or Council meetings etc., but, when they agreed to take on the role, they explained they might not always be able to, and our Church is very happy with / understanding about that - we appreciate what they can do rather than what they can't.

If you are an accountant, I presume it could be a relatively easy task for you, so why not think about doing some kind of 'over view' role as above?

BackforGood · 22/03/2015 19:15

SeaMeadows Masses of voluntary organisations would snatch your hand off. Don't know about the PCC, but in my Church, you do have to be a Church member to do the accounts. You would also have to be DBS checked for most organisations too of course.

Hoppinggreen · 22/03/2015 19:16

My sil s an accountant and agreed to be treasurer for her local preschool ( where her children were). The youngest is now 10 and she is still very reluctantly doing it as nobody else is suitably qualified apparently.
I wouldn't if I were you - maybe offer to check the books at year end? My step dad is a retired accountant and he does this for a couple of charities.