To think the requirements for this volunteer position are ridiculous?

[PPMMppmm]

I've got some spare time on my hands and have been perusing volunteer jobs and came across this one.

https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp3585933.jsp

AIBU to think they have got ludicrous expectations of someone voluntarily giving up their time?

Massive LOL

I did this, as a volunteer, while a professional in my 40s, for a small nonprofit. No one on earth pays 100k for it. It's not a tiny amount of work but it's absolutely not a full time job. The only part of the description that actually worries me is this:

"Assist with other fundraising projects as requested."

Now that's much more of a yikes, right there.

If the logic of those criticising this ad is followed, you'd be treated by a St John's Ambulance volunteer with no medical training, or go to a law centre to be advised by someone who has never opened Chitty on Contracts 🤣.

Those who are appalled at this are those that see volunteering as something you do for yourself ie you want to feel all warm inside as you help an adult to read or work behind the charity shop till for an hour a week.

but don’t actually really fancy committing

They are cheapskates. A similar job in HE would pay £50k and be more narrow in focus.

I'm with you. I'm a fan of volunteering and have done a couple of things in the past. It really puts me off when I see adverts like yours though. Also I understand the need for references but think 1 or 2 should suffice. Particularly if it's somebody young who is looking for work experience and has had no (or not many) jobs. Many are just going not bother.

I went for one recently where I used to volunteer actually, a lovely, small, modern, clean charity shop for wildlife where I have even volunteered previously for 5 months. Unfortunately the previous manager I had got on well with had been promoted to further afield and I no longer had her contact details. There were more staff in with a new application form and they wanted 3 references! 😡 Ridiculous! I'm not a fan of asking for references at the best of times so I prefer to save them for an actual paid employment rather than bothering people all the time.

There's also a split between those who have clocked that this is a Kenyan charity offering a post in Kenya, and those assuming it's in UK

The point about volunteering is you are giving something back. It's about being part of society. If you've been lucky to have the education and life that has allowed you to develop valuable skills, and you know there are others who could really benefit from those skills - if only they were able to - why wouldn't you volunteer if you could?

Gosh you are surly. Maybe you need to up your skills, or your research? We are paid well - because we are bloody good at our jobs. It is a top charity of course. Maybe you are in the trenches. That would explain the bad temper lol

I think that one thing charities can't do is make someone redundant (i.e. a paid member of staff) and replace them with a volunteer doing the same job (until a reasonable amount of time has passed)

The question is - if someone is doing something for a charity (where you have a mixture of paid staff and volunteers), at what point should it be a paid role - when does it stop become volunteering?

Should a charity have a volunteer payroll manager who comes in twice a week to ensure that payroll is done?

What about a volunteer HR manager? Or volunteer finance assistant?

Interesting response. I’m surly and bad tempered because I have illustrated, with real life examples, what the pay range actually is for this sort of post? Including for ‘top charities’ in the highest paid city in the country?

If you have ‘research’ that contradicts this, do please link it. All agog.

Lots of charities have all of those things, as has been explored upthread. Some charities have volunteer Finance Directors and CEOs. These aren’t entry level posts, nobody is being taken advantage of and these professionals are happy to undertake these roles for free.

I think there’s an issue with entry level volunteer posts, where people are clearly trying to get a foot on the ladder and can be taken advantage of. Thankfully that’s being cracked down on in the U.K. However, mid career and senior professionals who are happy to give their time snd skills for free are an excellent sector resource and I’m not seeing why that should be restricted in any way.

I think this commenter genuinely thought, for some reason, that nobody who knew anything about the sector would actually be reading this thread.

Why would they want someone with a degree in creative writing?

Lots of charities have all of those things, as has been explored upthread. Some charities have volunteer Finance Directors and CEOs. These aren’t entry level posts, nobody is being taken advantage of and these professionals are happy to undertake these roles for free

It seems strange to have a charity with paid staff but a voluntary finance director, HR lead etc. Those are important positions within an organisation - and if you are relying on a volunteer to do that, to keep up with current practice, to have accountability within the organisation, whilst also paying staff - who expect to be able to speak to HR or Finance to get something sorted - that seems a strange set up.

Maybe in a small charity, but in a larger charity, I would expect certain roles to be done by paid members of staff who have professional accountability. Not a volunteer HR Manager who comes in occasionally.

However, mid career and senior professionals who are happy to give their time snd skills for free are an excellent sector resource and I’m not seeing why that should be restricted in any way

Should charities sack their expensive HR managers, finance specialists. IT personnel and replace them with volunteers instead?

Sounds like a role description for a paid position. Not the type of role I would expect someone to do for free.

I expect they have both paid and unpaid people doing this job and reused the job description

There are lots of voluntary roles that have unrealistic expectations of people, people do them anyway though! I used to run our community centre on my own because there was nobody else. It took between 15 and 20 hours a week. If I hadn’t done it, it would have closed putting small community nursery out of business and the community would have lost a valuable resource that housed a community fridge and warm space.

The Charity sector is a strange mix of paid and volunteers.

You wouldn't normally get unpaid people in other sectors doing essential tasks. But then again - we do have volunteers in the NHS doing work that should probably be paid work.

I think my point is - is offering this as volunteering putting someone out of paid employment - and to what degree is this acceptable in the charity sector?

(Disclaimer - I work for a charity and I get paid for what I do. There are no doubt volunteers who could do aspects of my role. If they did all of my role, it would be full time volunteering)

Don't be daft, of course it's unusual. Find me another couple of volunteer roles that require that level of skill and commitment.

In charities where those positions are voluntary, all positions are generally voluntary. However, I have worked for one with paid everything else and a voluntary Finance Director.

Please note that people who volunteer in senior roles aren’t randoms off the street. In my experience, they are always professionals who are already doing that role, with great success, professionally. So, the (volunteer) HR Director of XYZ homeless charity is also a (paid) HR Controller at XYZ hedge fund. They are skilled, experienced and up to date on all trends, developments and legislation.

Additionally, none of these people ‘come in occasionally’. There will be set times/hours/duties.

‘Volunteer’ is a salary grade. Nothing more. It doesn’t indicate experience, skillset, dedication or the amount of time invested. It certainly isn’t indicative of professional accountability.

As stated upthread, the majority of our justice system is in the hands of volunteers (magistrates). They don’t exactly come in occasionally with accountability and the fact that most other roles in the courts system are paid doesn’t impact on that.

Please also note that every registered charity in the U.K. is run by a Board of Trustees, all of whom are voluntary.

Additionally, none of these people ‘come in occasionally’. There will be set times/hours/duties

Set times, hours and duties....

Could almost be a job. At what point is it a job?

I don’t think anyone has suggested that. Any charity that sacks all of its professional personnel and attempts to get volunteers in to do everything would be:

• Breaking U.K. law.
• In trouble with the Charity Commission.
• On a hiding to nothing (high level skilled volunteers do not grow on trees).
• Pretty stupid.

When you get paid.

I know that people have to be careful when writing volunteer roles as you have to be careful with not making it look like a job description.

Things like Employment Law, employment rights etc kick in.

You wouldn't normally get unpaid people in other sectors doing essential tasks.

Please see above point re the magistracy.