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Bad Manners and Brimstone
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#Post#: 36209--------------------------------------------------
Paying to volunteer
DIR By: prock929
Date: August 8, 2019, 12:37 pm
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Hi all. I have need of your collective wisdom yet again. It
involves the charity mentioned in my previous post.
We have a couple of events coming up that have a cost to
participate. The first event I am planning on attending as a
guest and will be paying for my ticket. The second event is the
“all hands on deck” event mentioned in my previous thread.
The second event is being catered so the charity is being
charged per person a set amount. (Say $20) The cost to attend
is $40. Normally, I consider my working the event as my
entrance fee, but the caterer will be charging the charity $20
per person for the meal, (It’s a picnic, so nothing formal. I
usually work at our sales table and other than a quick trip
through the buffet line, I don’t participate in any of the
activities at the event.) so there will be a cost to the charity
if I eat the food provided.
My sister B and I had a long discussion about whether volunteers
should pay and how much (with each of us understanding the
other’s viewpoint). She believes that the money is going to the
charity, so people should be willing to pay while I have trouble
asking people who are giving up their time to also give up their
money. (Plus, in my own case, I’m financially strapped enough
that there may come a time when I wouldn’t be able to afford to
volunteer at an event)
Should volunteers be expected to pay for an event at which they
are working?
#Post#: 36213--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: NFPwife
Date: August 8, 2019, 12:54 pm
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I voted cover the cost of your own food, which, in my mind,
includes the option of paying nothing and bringing your own
food.
I think it's tacky to ask volunteers to pay for an admission or
cover charge for an event.
#Post#: 36214--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: QueenFaninCA
Date: August 8, 2019, 12:56 pm
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I volunteer at concerts (medical staff). I often get to see at
least some of the performance (depending on how many patients we
have that night). I do not pay to get in and at some venues I
get free parking (while patrons pay $$ for parking).
Food varies depending on the venue and the artist: Sometimes the
organization through which I volunteer feeds us (if it is a show
where they have a hard time getting enough volunteers). At some
venues the venue feeds us (but usually not at the same place
where patrons get their food and not necessarily the same food;
at one venue the concessions manager will give us free food
(whatever is leftover) towards the end of the night at the booth
she is at). At some venues we can buy food at the concession
stands at about half the regular price (same as paid venue
staff).
We always have free water bottles and at some venues free soda.
At some venues we have coffee maker and coffee available that we
can use for free.
Edited to add: At all venues we are allowed to bring our own
food and beverages. Some volunteers bring things to share
(cookies, home-baked muffins,...; we even have one volunteer who
sometimes brings pizza for the whole crew).
#Post#: 36217--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: NewHomeowner
Date: August 8, 2019, 1:05 pm
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I voted 'pay nothing', and bring your own food. I used to
volunteer with a professional group, and only once were we asked
to pay the entrance fee. There was no food involved, so I was
highly indignant that we were asked that, and we never
volunteered there again.
#Post#: 36220--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: blueyzca
Date: August 8, 2019, 1:09 pm
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I say no.
One of my pet peeves about my specific job is that I’m expected
to attend social functions during the day AND work at them
(e.g., setting up tables, distributing name badges, cleaning up
at the end) and I still have to pay the entrance fee. I work as
a government sub-contractor, so employees do have to pay the
entrance fee (e.g., $7.00 for the taco bar during the summer
picnic), but I think that since I’m expected to WORK while
everyone else attending gets to relax and enjoy themselves,
there should be a fee waiver. Occasionally the top managers will
ask lower-tiered managers for personal contributions to cost the
fees for the workers, but it doesn’t happen nearly often enough.
And since you’re volunteering (which is better than my being
“voluntold”), there should be some provision set up to feed you
in return for your efforts. Yes, there will be a cost to the
charity if you eat the food provided, but there’s no labor cost,
so I think it balances out.
#Post#: 36227--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: Chez Miriam
Date: August 8, 2019, 1:28 pm
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I voted pay nothing.
Either you're staff [volunteer counts as staff, in my book], or
you're a customer, I don't think an organisation gets to have
the 'best of both worlds' [you pay to work], and keep its free
labour!
I would expect volunteers to be fed a cheaper/lesser meal: water
& chips/sandwiches, if it goes on longer than 3 or 4 hours.
Thankfully, I have never been to the sort of wedding I've read
about where one is expected to rock up in one's finest clothing,
pay for a gift, and then ordered to clear tables/put chairs away
at the end of an evening; I would look askance at that, I
suspect [it's not our culture here; I'm not saying it's wrong,
but it wouldn't be 'right'/usual at any UK wedding I've
attended]. I could see me dressing down for a wedding, not
taking/buying a present and being happy to clean up if given
enough warning. I'm either 'help' or I'm a guest; not both.
To me it seems that sort of scenario: guest + worker + paying
for the privilege of being at the beck-and-call = no.
#Post#: 36229--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: Dazi
Date: August 8, 2019, 1:52 pm
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I'd be mightily peeved if I was told I had to pay an entrance
fee or food cost as a volunteer. To me, volunteering my time
waives those cost. In all my years volunteering and organizing
volunteer events, volunteers have never had to pay to volunteer!
Now, they may not get the same food as a catered event, but they
had something (pizza, subs, takeout, etc).
Now, it has mostly been a moot point for me, since I always have
to bring my own food due to the massive food allergies, but
everyone else was fed!
#Post#: 36230--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: oogyda
Date: August 8, 2019, 1:58 pm
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If I were to vote, I'd vote pay nothing. At all. Nor bring my
own food.
If the caterer is charging per head, they will be charging for
me whether I eat their food or not, so bringing my own food
would be the same as a donation of the $20 caterer's fee I
didn't eat.
If done right, the cost to attend will include whatever it takes
to run the event. Including feeding the volunteers.
#Post#: 36232--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: wolfie
Date: August 8, 2019, 2:43 pm
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If I have to pay to enter the event then I expect I will be able
to enjoy the event. I would not volunteer if i had to pay the
entrance fee - especially if it is not an event i normally
would go to.
#Post#: 36233--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: lakey
Date: August 8, 2019, 2:47 pm
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I have volunteered for events and was never expected to pay for
food. For one yearly fundraising event, the paying guest paid a
hundred dollars per person for a nice sit down dinner and
alcoholic beverages. The caterer provided food for volunteers in
a break room, but it wasn't the same food that the paying guests
received. It was nice, but not hundred dollars a plate food. It
would irritate me if I volunteered and was expected to fork over
a $40 entrance fee. I can't remember all the details from the
OP's previous post, but it sounds to me like the charity is
being run by people who aren't that experienced in operating
fundraising events. In my area, if volunteers were expected to
pay a $20 or $40 entrance fee to work at a charity event, there
wouldn't be many volunteers. If the people running this event
don't want to give the people who volunteer the $20 meal, then
they can provide a box meal, or a big sub sandwich, chips, and
beverages.
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