To think some charity shop volunteers are exploited and should be paid?

[34degreesburningbees]

There's a young man with autism at my local (chain) charity shop and he works so hard - harder than I ever did when I worked in retail. He sees it as his full time job and they work him like it is one.

He has been there for years. It seems a bit, idk, exploitative.

AIBU?

My mum volunteers at a charity shop.

it’s very much volunteering. No-one is paid except for a part time manager (who actually works full time so is partially a volunteer).

They usually run on the basis of people doing regular shifts eg my mum does Thurs afternoon. Some people do all mornings. Only the manager is in there pretty much the whole time.

he may feel under pressure from himself to keep going in but it’s unlikely the managers are putting him under pressure.

But presumably their business model is built on volunteering? They might have a paid manager but probably most staff are volunteers.

Arguably he could do with more support to get into a paid job, but that's not the fault or the decision of the charity.

Maybe he cannot work for money. My daughter is keen to work but due to her learning disability will find it tricky. She also gets PIP so working is not an option. We’ve talked about her options and volunteering could be an option as she gets older. It will then determine if she can cope in a working environment.

Most charity shop workers are volunteers though are they not? but this makes me think about the young man who was in the press, I think it was last year? I think the supermarket might have been Waitrose, I could be wrong? Wasn’t he volunteering them for years and therefore obviously not being paid? Then because of the publicity around it offered him a job, but I think he took one somewhere else as I say I could be wrong, but yes, it looked like he was being clearly exploited 😡

I understand.

I think if I were the manager I'd have encouraged him to seek paid employment by now though. He deserves to be compensated for his time and hard work.

You still can get PIP if you're working though?

I don’t understand? Of course she can work if she gets PIP! Having a learning disability doesn’t stop her from working! It worryingly sounds like you’re trying to hold her back ???

exactly

If he is just a shop floor volunteer, then he wont be getting paid just like the rest of the volunteers there.
It sounds like he is hard working and finds it a positive experience. I am sure his family would have stepped in by now if he was truly being exploited.

Is he enjoying his work?

Unless you work alongside him then you really have no idea how 'hard' he is being worked or what his circumstances of volunteering are. By all means, volunteer yourself at the shop and get firsthand experience rather than judging from the outside. I work with organisations that 'employ' volunteers. By and large - and I mean 99% - they treat their volunteers with utmost respect, give them free training, a sense of self and confidence, and all the flexibility in the world - none of which are guaranteed with a paying role. Have you ever volunteered in a serious capacity (by which I don't just mean running the tombola once a year at the school fete)? Because volunteers are amazing and keep so much of the world turning, and in turn are prized and respected for their contribution. I'm not one for armchair punditry, so I really hope you have evidence to back up your assertions.

My son does 4 hours a week in a charity shop (he's autistic)
He gets UC and pip so is not hard done by doing volunteering

Not holding her back she needs to get maths and English plus qualifications for her chosen career. She is still in education and can be until she is 25 and well supported at college. She’s not ready for the world of work yet. She needs more time in education and support before work. She’s keen on an apprenticeship when she’s got all
of her qualifications.

Volunteering gives him a sense of purpose and routine, whilst retaining control over his own life. If he's not well, or disregulated, he doesn't need to turn up. As soon as he switches to employment, the power switches and the feeling of not having any autonomy kicks in. Whilst for most people the money makes it make sense, for some it doesn't. It would lead to mental illness. He may have tried paid employment in the past and really struggled with it.

Why on earth would I need to gather evidence to post an opinion on an anonymous forum?

100% agree. You have nailed it.

The more people they pay, the less money goes to the charity.

Many shops have volunteers like the young man you describe - depending on their skill levels. they wouldn’t necessarily be fit to do paid work though. Around here it’s often because they aren’t really able to hold down a job

Well most people make an 'assumption' from a place of knowledge and not of ignorance. Nothing to do with it being an anonymous forum or otherwise. I know sod all about the care of flamingos. So I wouldn't come on here and say that I saw a flamingo in the local wetlands park and he looked sad, and ask people if he was being properly cared for. I would find out a bit about flamingos first...

I volunteer in a charity shop for a local charity 2 days per week (4 hours per day). It has 3 paid members of staff the rest being volunteers. Most of us treat it like a job which is only right as they rely heavily on us. I’m under no pressure, have complete flexibility and they make it clear they are extremely grateful for what us as volunteers do. I’m retired and volunteer to give something back to a charity that’s very close to my heart.
I doubt very much the msn in question is being exploited. Perhaps you’re the one who didn’t work hard enough!

My 23 yr old son with ASD is currently volunteering in a garage 20 hours a week, he’s got the qualifications but couldn’t get him a job as they’d have to get used to his quirks. Are they exploiting him ? Absolutely however without this experience he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. We’re now in a place where we can start to look for jobs for him.

Do they realise the owners are making a fortune? They only have to give their “profits” to the charity and they get loads of tax breaks. The owners pay themselves a very decent salary. Why do you think there are so many of them? Would never let any child of mine work in one.

My friends dh is an accountant and looked into it as he was curious. Triggered by the huge brand new 4x4s driven by a family that own a small chain of charity shops …

I sincerely hope you've reported them to the charity commission seeing as you have all this evidence

I can believe that. I know of a local branch of a charity that was robbed by the treasurer.

Of course in MN land that doesn’t happen

It’s perfectly legal. They pay themselves salaries it’s the profits that go to the charity.