To wonder why the RNLI needs a full time equality and diversity officer

[NonSuchFun]

The RNLI is one of the most loved and respected charities, and clearly needs a professional management structure. However, its core work is done by volunteers who maintain lifeboat stations up and down the country, crewing the boats and responding to emergencies at sea. It is unfortunate that a public spat over the sacking of two Whitby lifeboat men, along with four others who have resigned in protest has coincided with an advertised full time position for an equality and diversity officer, on £40k approx a year.

I have no idea how many core employees the charity has but it surely can’t be that many. So I am left wondering how this new E&D person will occupy their time. It seems to me that if there is a need to bring the organisation up to date in this area that a one year temporary contract could cover it with a brief to set up an online e-learning package, ensure that every lifeboat station has one person designated local E&D representative and to hand the reins over to another person in management for ongoing responsibility. Outside contracts could be used for occasional reviews. Job done. I just can’t see what this person will be doing full time, year on year. My own work requires that I compete annual e-learning as did my previous employer, a large insurance company and as does my DH’s company. Why wouldn’t this suffice for the RNLI?

Many people are outraged at the salary - most of the lifeboat crew members live and work in small seaside towns up and down the country, I imagine they can only dream of such a salary. It takes a lot of tin rattling to bring in £40k a year.

Please enlighten me.

I’ll ask again whether anyone can actually find this post being advertised

The OP has mysteriously vanished.

Seems so, kalapattar!

So many people know so little about how large scale charities are run

Why do they need to pay £40k? Is there no-one public-spirited enough to volunteer?

Why would you volunteer for a role that will be long hours, possibly incur travellling and high pressure?

How many people are well off enough to do that job for free?

I’m exRNLI crew. The organisation is massive. When you go down to Poole for training you see the HQ and it’s comaparable with any large organisation. It employs lots of people. Most stations have a full time, paid member of staff.

However, the one thing about the RNLI. When they send you to sea, you have every confidence that the volunteer next to you is properly trained and the kit is second to none and properly maintained. Believe me, when the waves are huge that confidence is needed. In contrast, I often got sent to war with shit kit.

But what makes the RNLI so great is the back office staff who make sure they send you to sea with the best chance of coming home. Like anywhere an equalities and diversity Officer would be needed. I wouldn’t want to go to sea next to a woman or someone from the BAME who feels she’s/he not valued. They’re my mate who I can rely on and vice versa.

Because to get someone to do a job full time, reliably, understandably requires payment. Loads of charities have paid workers, it isn't massively hard to understand.

Seems so, kalapattar!

I really like the statement from the head of the RNLI about this, and I am very glad that Tanith linkeked it, and bolded a key paragraph.

Bullying and harassment are not OK, I agree that hardcore porn should never be. displayed in a workplace, and the bit about joyriding is staggering.

The RNLi have money to burn. They waste so much on expensive buildings, salaries, reinventing the wheel when it comes to lifeboats. Because they have to spend it. Gor bollocled by the government for sitting on too much money.

Would never donate to them only the 70 or so Independant lifeboats who do the same job with out the waste and politics.

The sacking of a number of volunteers recently has been disgusting.

"Why do they need to pay £40k? Is there no-one public-spirited enough to volunteer?"

It'a not a volunteer role, it's a staff role and is properly attributed as a cost to the organisation - just as any other legal, HR or corporate governance role is. It's actually important to know how much you cost to run. And to budget accurately (so you can pay for all staff functions you want/need)

If someone was prepared to do it for free, then they would still be in the payroll, but can donate back their salary (or more, if they want to cover their actual cost to the organisation).

(It's said the Princes did similar - not needing their military salary being able to be taken off the payroll, they donated it all to military charities).

The sacking of a number of volunteers recently has been disgusting

Which volunteers are you talking about? I presume you aren't talking about the volunteers who were sacked for the graphic porn of a fellow volunteer so it must be some over volunteers who were sacked and we just haven't heard about?

Nope there’s been a number round the county - jersey and broughty ferry spring to mind. And I don’t believe the RNLIs side of the story in this case.

But I am sick of them say they are the charity that saves lives at see. As there are at least 70 others. Also sick of them chasing money as if they have none when they have 100s of millions in reserve.

somewhere

Put that all in context. Where did the RNLI get all that money? An awful lot poured in after the Penlee disaster in the 80s (a whole crew lost). The RNLI was on the point of collapse just before that. There might be other lifeboats at sea, but they don’t have the resources to do very long jobs (most don’t run All Weather boats), to provide crews trained in fast water rescue to floods at home and also to disaster areas round the world.

Buggered’s post should be read by any one complaining about this.

I could almost hear the mic drop

One other thing somewhere. Where is the busiest station in the UK? It’s not at sea, it’s on the Thames (Tower). The RNLI put four stations on the Thames after the Marchioness disaster.

Small charities wouldn’t have the resources to manage the volume of work they do.

@Buggered.

Most of the independents train to the same and higher standards than the RNLi. And lots have flood rescue teams and members again trained to the international rescue 3 standard. As far as the all weather lifeboats you are correct I think there are 4 with the 4th one being the new one in Jersey.

The independent in most cases also have other resources for beach search etc which the RNLi don’t do unless it’s a lifeguarded beach.

And if you look on this part of the coast the Indy’s do far more rescues than the RNLi but the RNLi have the massive PR machine.

The Thames runs a full time paid crew with some volunteer support - a friend of mine is on the crew. Maybe should be like the Mersey where the fire service have a full time boat crew.

The Rnli do a good job but they do waste a lot of money centrally and they’re not the only people doing it.

Somewhere, I’m not having a go at the independents. They’re great and most work well with the RNLI. I’m not sure on the higher training, but that’s just a pissing contest!

Beach searches? I’ve done them, but often that falls under the remit of land based SARs.

You have to remember also, that the RNLI also meets the UKs obligation to provide rescue at sea as required by international law.

It’s not a competition between the services but I do take exception to people saying not to donate to the RNLI.

Anyway, I’ve said my bit. I think they’re an awesome charity and I’m just gutted I’m no longer crew (I lost my hearing).

I admire you Buggered. And all lifeboat crew (RNLI or independent).

All volunteers who risk their lives to save others deserve the very best equipment and training. They deserve to be able to perform their duties in an environment free from harassment or discrimination.

That is why I donate to them and am proud to be associated with them (ex staff member).

Large organisations need a surplus of money in the bank to pay for pensions and to guarantee they can continue their services in the future.

The PP who talked about the network of smaller charity lifeboats, is that true? Perhaps like prostrate cancer charities maybe it is time that the smaller charities join into the larger charity to reduce the running costs so they provide more support.

I live in a coastal area. Every year on the beach we have life guards who work under the the RNLI symbol, I am guessing in part if not wholly they are paid for by RNIL. I am very grateful for this service. I very much believe their female staff and volunteers, let’s remember the victim of sexual harassment in the story published in the news was a volunteer too!, deserve to be treated equally and without fear of sexual bullying.

somewhere my great grandfather was an coxman on an ‘unskinable’ lifeboat. It sunk when out on a job, all souls on board died as did the crew they were going to rescue. Are you really suggesting that the RNLI should not be investing in equipment and doing everything in their power to save as many lives as possible?

Thanks for your insight buggered, Im grateful that there's an emergency service thats well equiped and trained - like you mention many public government funded functions aren't..

I will always donate to the RNLI. My uncle died at sea, leaving behind a toddler and a 6 week old baby, and the local RNLI crew went out every day for 11 days, in rough conditions, until they recovered his body.

I have a regular gift set up and so I received the email with the statement that’s been posted upthread, and I’ve made sure to share it as widely as I can.

People seem to love any excuse to take a pop at charities lately, encouraged by the right wing press. There’s particular vitriol directed at ‘big’ charities which I always find ironic because in my professional experience, there’s almost always more waste, fewer resources and less support for staff at the small local charities that people seem to say they want to support.

Of course don’t donate if you don’t want to, that’s personal choice, but to actively encourage others not to is low in my opinion.

"Why do they need to pay £40k? Is there no-one public-spirited enough to volunteer?"

One of the big problems with that kind of approach is that if you pre-filter your candidate pool to exclude anyone who doesn't already have an independent income, you are unlikely to get the best person for the job. It's why we now pay our MPs - before that, it basically limited the job to the upper classes. Which is not how we want to do things nowadays.

@anotherangel2

I’m not suggesting they don’t invest. But would question some major bits of investment and also know crew who struggle for decent kit. Boats and PPE very important other bits not so. But spending £100k to modify Land Rovers with tracks on for £20k they could buy a vehicle design to do the job.

And everything is sinkable.