To leave my volunteering role with children's group 5 months in?

[WitheringHeights8]

For context, I have volunteered with children aged ten and under for over four years, around half of that in a leadership role. I had a traumatic experience with a previous organisation, and have tentatively been trying to regain my confidence in this area with other groups.

A group I joined in January were in need of volunteers, so I offered to help with them with a view to continue of it was a good fit.

My issue is with the group manager. Initially, we got on well, although she did seem stressed and had moments where she answered me abrasively/defensively when I was trying to help.

Over the past month I have found myself feeling increasingly anxious around her, feeling she is micromanaging me when I am more than capable, and her communication style is far too abarasive for me. For example, telling me my way of doing a task in an evening was wrong, when I'd planned the night, and insisting on doing tasks I could do.

This culminated in an incident two weeks ago, when I had told her I had written the ages of our kids down on the first evening of a new intake. She jumped in with "You've written their AGES down? That is a bit weird!". I immediately realised this wasn't in line with gdpr, over-apologised and tried to exaplain I didn't have any nefarious intentions.

I wrote a resignation email that evening, citing her use of the word "weird" and her managment style being the primary reasons. She asked of she could call me, apologised on the phone and in person, and offered to meet me to discuss my expectations and "get to know each other better". She thanked me for allowing her to reflect on her behaviour.

I reluctantly agreed, and went on a fun day with the group at the weekend. As she was explaining the rules, I moved out of the way of another helper onto a ground sheet so they could set up. She turned to me and spoke to me like a child saying " Can you please step off the ground sheet as the children will be putting their bags there".

Embarrassed, I move, but notice HER FOOT IS ON THE GROUND SHEET.

I love working with the kids, but I don't think I can last the month. AIBU?

YANBU. I've done several volunteer roles - if it's not working for you, move on and try something else. That's the advantage of volunteering over a paid job!

You can leave a volunteer role for any reason you want.

I can see nothing wrong with the groundsheet thing but as you two are clearly not a good fit, it sounds as though you're always going to rub each other up the wrong way.

That's a good enough reason to leave, surely?

I think it's more than not being a "good fit", personally. I do find that phrase a bit of a euphemism sometimes.

To be clear, I had no issue with the (then unknown) ground sheet rules; it was how she spoke to me and then her hypocrisy of doing the same thing she was criticising me for.

Resign. Dont bother gi I guess aged reason.

Aged reason?

You either leave or speak to someone above. Volunteering is difficult at times for all involved as boundaries are often blurred, but the benefit is you can walk at any time.

I think you want to be appreciated to build confidence and she is a brusque take no prisoners kind of person (sometimes very helpful, as it can be difficult to manage volunteers). It will never work between you, so I would not keep volunteering there.