To be surprised how much of society is run by volunteers and that really we should be valuing this work?

[SEsofty]

I am getting increasingly disheartened by the amount of work which is now being carried out by volunteers and that as society as a whole really ought to be paying for the work.

Apparently half of all graduates now carry out unpaid internships and in many of them they are not development roles but simply doing work that otherwise someone would have to be paid to do.

The library is now run by volunteers.

The local preschool is, like most, run by a committee of parents who are responsible for setting staff wages and liaising with ofsted.

The local domestic violence helpline entirely run by volunteers.

So Aibu in thinking that this unpaid work ought to be recognised and that without volunteers society would grind to a halt

Even emergency services rely on volunteers such as RNLI lifeboats, mountain rescue, etc. I don't think these services would even exist if it wasn't mostly staffed by volunteers, run operated by registered charities. Not too sure the service would be as good if it was instead provided by the publicly funded emergency services.

I do think there's a time and a place for volunteers. I spent a few years as a voluntary/unpaid special constable. I thoroughly enjoyed it and did a lot of good work, sometimes it was simple things like traffic control, crowd control, processions, other times it was riding shotgun in the dog van, accident unit or normal cars/vans, other times it was beat-work . I didn't feel I was being taken for a mug. As I never had any intention of becoming a police officer for a job, I'd simply not have done any of that if it hadn't been on a voluntary basis. But, yes, when it comes to just getting free labour with nothing in return (but empty promises, then it's not acceptable). I'd say that people should be free to volunteer and there should be lots of varying opportunities for them to do it, but it has to be on equal/fair terms.

Its terribly sad to see how some of the younger volunteers' lives turn out. Particularly with the recent increase in homelessness etc.

I think "volunteering" for a fun hobby is fine.

I think there's a BIG difference between the millions of people across the country who volunteer their time week in and week out, and companies taking advantage of people desperate to learn / to get started on their careers etc, but making them work without pay.

I do think there should be a lot more acknowledgement for the great volunteers in society though I particularly think that every time there are 'New Years Honours' type announcements, and people get gongs for doing well at their already very well rewarded paid jobs. Or, tbh, for just 'going to work' (when you get the local lollipop lady getting a gong for - erm, going to her paid job every day). When there are literally hundreds of thousands of people doing their paid work, and then doing hours of volunteering on top of that.

There does seem to be some confusion between unpaid internships and volunteers.

Otherwise you end up with posh twaddles doing all the important jobs, and some of them do it very shittly indeed.

Who exactly would you like to do charity things for free?

I’ve been asked to volunteer for a role. I’m not currently working because I am looking after my toddler.

Now in order to do the volunteer role I would need to pay for childcare for my toddler which I can’t afford because I’m not being paid.

"So the amount of essential volunteers that there are, isn't known and they certainly aren't valued by the Torys."

Such a good point BirdsgottaFly Lisa Muggeridge said something really striking in one of her video's about how care labour cannot be abdicated. And yet it is barely even aknowledged in politics.

"This year the worst affected are one for sexual abuse survivors, and one for refugees and other immigration issues"

There was a Big Issue seller outside our local Sainsburys yesterday who called me over and told me she had a three month old baby and asked me whether i could buy some milk for him /her. i couldnt . I have given change to homeless people when i can and bought food but i cant afford to do this. 3 or 4 years ago a guy selling the BI in the entrance of our local shopping centre told me he couldnt pay his rent and asked me to give him £30.

Obvs i had to say no then too. Is there somewhere i could signpost the woman to if i see her again?

The problem with all these positions being voluntary is that eventually the SAHM with grown children who typically fill these roles will eventually become a thing of the past. Millennials will have to stay in paid employment until they are at least 70 and there won’t be anyone free to run libraries etc.