Aibu and not volunteer again

[Metoodear]

So I got myself on a very important volunteer job 6 months ago as I was only working one day a week

So thought I would do some good recently I had to resign as I have a pt job 3 days a week and tbh the volunteer job needs doing well and I wouldn’t have the time as I don’t want to a shit job because I am trying to do to much

Sent a lovey letter about how much I had enjoyed myself and thanked them for the opportunity


I didn’t even get a smiley face emoji back
Ducking rude or is it just me and they wonder why they struggle to get people

Aibu to think I should of got even a email thanking me for my time

[Branleuse]

YANBU

[Branleuse]

i think in so many cases, the less you are paid, the lower you are valued. Its shit.

[4littlebirds]

if It’s the council its likely because there is no one in position to acknowledge you properly, it is shitty but I should not take it personally.

And people don’t generally go into volunteering for the long haul, 6 months is a decent amount of time and worthy of a personal thank you from whoever you where working with, not just a generic thank you for your service.

[greenlanes]

I think a basic thank you to any volunteer is important. But some of us work and volunteer. So a good organisation that respects its volunteers may be more likely to keep them even if personal circumstances change.

But OP I would say the comments about grammar and spelling were constructive feedback to you. Even if you didnt like the tone in which they were given, it was still accurate feedback.

[cantfindname]

You are supposed to volunteer to help others less fortunate. Not to make yourself feel good about your 'very important role' and your immense kindness in filling it.

Yes, they should have acknowledged your e-mail but maybe they are also a bit tired of you bigging yourself up.

[Juells]

TBH I would have thought it was standard to have some kind of email already in place, so that when a volunteer left they'd get some kind of acknowledgment for the time they'd given up. I don't think the OP is unfair in expecting that.

[hellokittymania]

Bran, it's horrible. I started my own organization when I was 22 years old, partly because I was sick of people telling me I wouldn't be able to do anything. I have worked in the sector for 12 years now, 12 years! And I had a social worker, ask me if I've had a job. Do you know how difficult it is to run a very small charity and keep it going for 12 years? Do you know how hard it is to hire somebody, to fire somebody, to find volunteers, to find trustees, to organize training events in places like the Philippines, Vietnam, will you have to get special permits, and permission, organize events for 70 teachers, and many many children with special needs? Do people have no clue what goes into this type of work? Seriously. I love what I do but it's true that people have no respect for anyone in this sector. The people who ask me if I have a job, do they get up at 2 AM in the morning when somebody calls them from overseas who needs help? No. I would and I do. Sorry for the long rant, but these people really get on my bloody nerves.

Just because it's a charitable organization, or a social enterprise, it doesn't mean that the people working there do not deserve respect. They do. Believe me, the bloody Well do.

[BarbarianMum]

YANBU
We thank all our volunteers when they leave and if they've been around a while the staff have a whip round for a card and pressie.

[Metoodear]

Mrsmadevans

'I have a job now a clearly made a good impression'
So am l understanding this you 'volunteered' for the council, who then gave you a job, then you wrote them that you are leaving the volunteering job and they are expected to thank you, essentially for giving you a job. You are very lucky to be given the job imho and it is you who should be thanking them for letting you loose for 6 months and network, which has gained you this job.
hmm
no your clearly miss reading I don’t work for the council I didn’t ask the volunteer post for a refenace I didn’t need one from them I gained this job for a social enterprise idependently thanks I have the required qualifications and experience I volunteered because at the time I was only working one day a week and wanted to do something in my community

[auntyflonono]

I'm with you OP, its not difficult to put a sentence of thanks in an email and to acknowledge receipt of it at the same time, simple courtesy!

[AornisHades]

When I volunteered (for several years) in a role linked to the council, we had an employed volunteer co-ordinator who sent a thank you letter by post when we left. However I think those sort of roles have been cut now so the co-ordinator may be part time, on leave etc with nobody picking up that work.

[ChardonnaysPrettySister]

I agree with you.

A quick letter or email to thank you, or any other volunteers seems good form.

[Pumpkin1975]

I agree that you should have been acknowledged. I work for the council in a role where we have help from volunteers, and I always make a point of thanking them for their time every time I work with them. It’s not hard! We also hold a party each year for all our volunteers to say thank you.
However I would say that councils taking on volunteers are often doing so because they are so understaffed and underfunded. So perhaps whoever received your letter is so snowed under they just haven’t had the time yet to respond.

[hellokittymania]

Can't find a name, it is extremely extremely difficult to find volunteers these days. For any organization, but especially if you run a very small one. And a lot of people do it for the ego, yes. But if you can be bothered to spend a lot of your time doing things for an organization, you deserve a thank you. It has nothing to do with making yourself big, whatever, you deserve a thank you if you spend hours doing work, paid or not. As I mentioned, if you treat your volunteers right, they tell their friends, and you get more volunteers. If you treat your volunteers badly, don't expect to find them easily.

[TheFirstMrsDV]

mrsEvans what on earth are you on about?

Even if she was volunteering at the same place that gave her a job, that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve a thank you for the 6 months of unpaid work she did.
Thanking them for the job? How about them thanking her for working for free when she was clearly good enough for paid employment.

Its attitudes like that that have got us to interns working for years without pay and young people without well off parents being unable to get the experience they need to progress.

[SleepingStandingUp]

As a volunteer you should be thanked, consistently and regularly. I don't mean gushing letters of praise but just acknowledgement for your work.

How much notice did you give when you quit? Did you not see anyone in person afterwards who thanked you?

[flippyfloppyflower]

Metoodear you show an unfortunate (and if I am honest) aggressive attitude in your posts. Could it be that your attitude showed in your volunteer work (I am not saying it did - just that it could be a possibility) and that is why you did not get a thanks. Volunteers with egos are a nightmare.

All that aside a simple email thanking you for your time would have been nice but perhaps that particular task has not been allocated to a member of staff or they could simply have forgotten to do so.

[SleepingStandingUp]

You are supposed to volunteer to help others less fortunate. Not to make yourself feel good about your 'very important role'
I don't believe anyone volunteers just for altruistic purposes. People do it to help because it also fulfills a need in them. And if you're a volunteer volunteering in a jon you really dislike and get absolutely nothing from, I think that's more martyr syndrome than someone who os truly great

[hellokittymania]

By the way, I just wanted to add, if you think people work in this sector do it because they are all kind hearted people, please, do some research. There was a Podcasts run by the BBC a few months ago on charities. There are plenty of people who do it for the ego. Plenty. There are plenty of very tough things that go on in this sector. It's not all lovey-dovey, there is backstabbing everywhere. I've had my organization for 12 years, I've seen it all. So really, do some research please. And thank people for what they do, or work in this sector yourself and you will find out.

[petrolpump28]

In my experience organisations very immensely in how well they treat volunteers
Sometimes they forget you are an unpaid worker. Its called voluntary work.

Some organisations are very good. They train you up and value you.

[ciderhouserules]

Wow - I know this is AIBU but this is a new low for it!

OP - of course you should get a Thank You for your volunteer work! You've given up your time for free, for them; of course they should thank you. Even an email with a smiley emoji would of course be better than nothing.

To the poster who suggested than less that 6 months is not worth doing - I think any time, given free, is better than nothing. What a horrible attitude to have!

BTW OP - please get some grammar lessons, or read a book about it. 'Should of' is a corruption of should've, which broken down means 'Should HAVE'. Same with could of (could've) and would of (would've).
I HAVE
i WOULD HAVE
i COULD HAVE
etc. An application form with 'could of' on it would go straight in the bin in my work.

And it's pedant, not pendant.

I wish you well in your new job.

[hellokittymania]

Sleeping standing up, you said it perfectly. People have no idea what goes on in this sector. As I said, I love what I do, and when something really good happens, it keeps me going. But it's a lot of work, and I do things that not many people would. I don't have to, but I want to. But not many people would want to do what I do.

[anotherpersona]

You should have got a thank you and acknowledgement of the time you have given. A good charity would also want to know your reason for moving on. It takes a lot more time and money to recruit new volunteers than it does retain or welcome back returners.

[didofido]

OP "I think their is a pendants corner"

Try " I think there is a pedants' corner".

[hellokittymania]

And, sleeping standing up, when people tell me, I am a very kind person, or something to that extent, I asked them, what do you say that to a teacher? Some of them still would. But I started my organization because I was sick of people telling me, and other young people what we could and couldn't do due to our disabilities. I'm not "helping people" I'm giving them what they need to be able to go out into this world and be independent and to do whatever the hell they want to do. That's how I see it anyway. That's why, if somebody calls me at 2 AM because they don't understand her English homework, I get up. Because I want them to pass their English exams so they can do what they want. Maybe it's just me, but I really don't see getting equal rights for people who should already have equal rights as being kind.

I hope, if anything, people on this thread learn to have a little bit more respect for people in the charity sector.