A volunteering AIBU

[itcouldhave]

I do a volunteer thing with an organisation outside of work. I had expressed interest in a particular training course in a skill which they desperately need but due to cost cutting, have not been allowing.

I got an email from the coordinator last Thursday saying ‘can you do the course on Tuesday lunchtime’. I said yes, but I needed to book time off work and reorganise some things. I duly did so, but had no response from the coordinator. I emailed her three times asking for the start time and duration, and also called her. She didn’t pick up.

On Tuesday morning I emailed her saying that I was a bit annoyed and disappointed that I’d made time to do the course, but she hadn’t responded to my messages or let me know what was happening. I was polite but did point out that I was a volunteer and needed to plan around work. I was not at all rude or demanding.

Today I got a long email from her, cc’ing all her superiors, telling me how hard she works, how unreasonable I am and telling me I’m hereby removed from the course.

I’m actually pretty fucking pissed off. I’ve given up a lot of my personal time to volunteer for this thing and it’s not the first time that this coordinator has sent flouncy and passive aggressive replies to straightforward questions.

I’m in two minds about continuing. I enjoy the work, but the organisation is appalling - it took me months to get uniform and a key to get in to the premises. Should I just ignore the email and being removed from the course or just quit.

I would reply to all and wrote what happened.
I would end it by saying that unfortunately I don't feel like I can continue to volunteer my time as it has now affected my work with no positive outcome for the organisation or me.
I would quit

Go higher up. That's awful!

write it just as you have in your OP as a reply to her and to her boss.

be clear that you are volunteering your time, and you have moved your paid work round to do this course, but then the course did not materialise.
Confirm that the course is for a skill that they need, that you offered to do it on your own time, and that you have been treated unporfessioanlly.

then resign.

Find another organisation doing a similar thing, and volunteer for them.

She cc’d all but the top level of higher ups. I honestly don’t know what her issue is.

Previously, I emailed her, and bearing I mind this was about six months after I’d officially started and still had no uniform or access, my email basically said ‘Hi Maureen*, hope you are well, great weather recently, I just wanted to see if there was any update on uniform so I can get started doing the x role. I’m really looking forward to it!’

She replied two weeks later to everyone in the organisation saying ‘can all NEW volunteers please try to be patient and accept that we are doing our best’.

The volunteer thing is predominately public engagement so you can’t really do it without a uniform because everyone will just go, ‘who the fuck are you to tell me not to walk my dog here’ or whatever.

Quit by replying to her email and CCing in the recipients of the original email.

*Maureen is not her actual name.

I agree quit cc’ing everyone and pointing out that it’s her attitude that has led you to it.

The annoying thing about it too is that she’s cc’d one of her superiors who’s away for the next two weeks. I’ve met him a few times and I would be surprised if he agreed with her on this. He has already told me how desperate they are for people to do x thing and volunteer generally but who knows.

I would go to the very top level of the organization and cc all those whom she ccd. Do you have copies of your messages to her? I would add those to the message to show that you had asked politely and patiently.

The organization does not sound as though it treats its volunteers well which shows contempt. I would seriously consider finding another.

I don't know if it's a common experience but I was treated poorly when I volunteered too.

I manage a small team of people who coordinate volunteers for a county wide organisation. I would want to know if this happened to one of my volunteers as its totally unacceptable and Id be starting a detailed investigation possible leading to disciplinary proceedings. Write to the CEO of the organisation setting out the timeline of what has happened and the responses you have received.

Ive worked with volunteers for over 35 years. I love the enthusiasm, commitment and energy they bring. Every day is different as we are working with a whole new team of people with their own life experience willing to use that to help others. I think people who volunteer their time to help others in their Community are absolutely fantastic. Don't let this experience put you off.

Are you a coastguard? (You mentioned uniform). If so please don't quit yet! It's peak season.

Not NTS by any chance?

Don’t do anything tonight. Sleep on it.

Not coastguard or NTS! It’s a really small local thing.

TBH, I don’t want to quit. I genuinely care about the thing and enjoy it but I’m just annoyed that volunteering for it is so painful and this coordinator is essentially punishing me by withdrawing the course for questioning her.

Yes, polite and calm reply, (to all including the top brass that she failed to cc -or bc if you feel that would be better) mentioning what you have said in your post and that you willingly moved around your paid employment at short notice and some inconvenience to yourself and your employer in order to gain skills much needed by your team in your unpaid role. If possible do it with as many of the in-replied to emails attached (they often attach anyway especially if everything organises itself into a string)
If after considering things quietly then do resign, but in a separate letter and cite your desire to continue in the role but sadly the chaotic management and lack of ability to forward plan is incompatible with your paid employment.
I suspect that ‘Maureen’ is known for this kind of behaviour- (and / or is so overworked in her other non-volunteer based role that it’s all too much for her) in either instance her managers need to know.

@TowandaForever

I don't know if it's a common experience but I was treated poorly when I volunteered too.

I found this too, as though I was working for free and I was then pond life and so they would have me doing all the rubbish tasks all the time.

Reply to all, keep it unemotional just stating all the facts including exact times and dates you chased her, emphasising that you did so as you were so keen to do the course and be of greater use to the organisation. Pretty sure she will change her tune pronto!

Don't quit. This sounds like a wider organisational issue though than just the volunteer coordinator. Not excusing her behaviour to you because that was out of order but she possibly is really overloaded and not feeling supported. (It often happens to volunteer coordinators, sadly when more senior managers don't understand the role.) In any case, someone higher up should pick up that the tone of her email is all wrong, not to mention it being copied to everyone being odd.

Have a look at their complaints procedure if there is one and what the informal stage is, I'd probably start with her manager and just highlight calmly what you've said here.

Why reply all / cc multiple people. Just have this conversation with her direct supervisor or line manager and a HR person if there is one.

You are right and she seems like a nightmare to deal with but involving lots of people just seems ridiculous.

I think say that in a reply all

Maureen has punished me for being a keen, committed and flexible volunteer by removing the access to this course which is disappointing personally and unhelpful to the cause.

Please advise how you would like to continue with my volunteering time.

Maureen sounds like a cunt. Shame you can’t ‘reply all’ words to that effect.

I wouldn’t quit if you enjoy it but I would reply all expressing my disappointment that she had decided to cancel the course and reiterate the reasons why it was so important that someone attended.

It sounds like she's just made herself look bad, cc-ing people. I'd ignore her drama and reply asking to be given this training at the earliest opportunity, and that you will do what you can to make time for it when you are given a clear schedule and commitment. If nothing useful transpires, email her supervisor when he is back with the same request. You want to keep volunteering, you want to do the course, you want as little fuss from her as possible. You've done nothing wrong, so leave her to her petty games.