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#Post#: 36274--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: Kimberami
Date: August 9, 2019, 7:35 am
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In the situation described, I would let the volunteers in for
free and offer them a choice of eating (and paying for) the
catered lunch or bringing their own lunch. Some volunteers would
be in a position to donate money as well as volunteer. Often, I
elect to volunteer time because I can't afford to donate money.
By asking me to pay to volunteer, I would feel that my time was
not seen as a worthwhile asset by the organization. That would
make me think twice about volunteering in the future.
#Post#: 36277--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: Aleko
Date: August 9, 2019, 7:59 am
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--- Quote ---
> By asking me to pay to volunteer, I would feel that my time
was not seen as a worthwhile asset by the organization. That
would make me think twice about volunteering in the future.
--- End Quote ---
And, surely, that your efforts were not seen as valuable either!
It's the implied disrespect that would be the deal-breaker for
me.
#Post#: 36305--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: Luci
Date: August 9, 2019, 11:36 am
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If I volunteer for a charity I can’t afford, I quit
volunteering, or I don’t go to that event.
#Post#: 36317--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: TootsNYC
Date: August 9, 2019, 1:01 pm
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I'd prefer to be able to eat without paying, but I checked "pay
a reduced price." But I'd also want the option to bring a
sandwich or something so I didn't have to.
I'd have to feed myself lunch anyway, so some cost would be
fair.
Presumably I'm volunteering because I really care about the
cause, so I'd be OK w/ bearing some expense (especially if I
knew it was going to cost the charity).
But if I *ran* the charity, I'd be trying to figure out how to
bear that cost.
For weddings, often the caterer agrees to provide a less
expensive option for all the vendors like DJ, photographer,
wedding planner, etc.; so the customer pays for their meals
(they never pay!), but pays less. So instead of prime rib of
salmon, the DJ gets a decent sandwich or something.
Or they get the same entrée, but they don't get the extra
courses, or the wine. And they don't get a fancy table service
and waiter attention, which makes it possible for the caterer to
be willing to charge just a little less.
I'd be trying to figure out a way to keep volunteers from having
to pay.
And if the charity grows, or even just lasts long enough that
the volunteers lose some of the excitement/good vibes, then
you'd going to need to not ask them to pay anything in order to
be there.
#Post#: 36327--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: oogyda
Date: August 9, 2019, 2:27 pm
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--- Quote from: Luci link ---
>
> If I volunteer for a charity I can’t afford, I quit
volunteering, or I don’t go to that event.
>
--- End Quote ---
IIRC, this is a family charity of the OP's. While she has said
she'll be distancing herself, she was already obligated for this
event.
#Post#: 36351--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: JXB1000
Date: August 9, 2019, 7:33 pm
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I don't think there's an answer (for the poll) that fits 100% of
the time. I need a "It depends..." choice.
Most of the activities with which I volunteer, the volunteer
does not pay. And in fact volunteering may offer other perks
like free admission beyond your shift.
However, there are many legitimate activities where the culture
is that "everyone pays". And it's often because it becomes
problematic as to where to draw the line about who gets in free
and who doesn't. If I volunteered 50 hours towards this project
and someone else worked 2 - do we each get in free?
This is usually when there's a large membership involved and
many/most both work and attend. A couple of examples are certain
conferences held by professional groups (i.e., volunteers
organizing the conference also have to be registered and pay to
attend) and organizations that have a single major fundraiser,
like a dinner where there are dozens of people working on it for
months. When you start comping volunteers, it gets really
complicated quickly.
That being said, if there's a volunteer for whom the fee is a
hardship and they literally just want to come, work a specific
job, leave - we work with them one-on-one. Or we let them into
the event for free (beyond whatever shift they are working), but
maybe they aren't included in the grand prize drawing since they
didn't pay for a ticket. So on those type of events - the policy
is "everyone buys a ticket". Otherwise 50-70% of the attendees
would have to be comp'd. We deal with any exceptions
case-by-case and discreetly.
The groups that operate that way are always very, very clear
during the planning phase. And there are also usually some job
that require volunteering for advance tasks and not being
onsite.
#Post#: 36357--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: Luci
Date: August 9, 2019, 10:29 pm
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--- Quote from: oogyda link ---
>
> [quote author=Luci link=topic=1265.msg36305#msg36305
date=1565368588]
> If I volunteer for a charity I can’t afford, I quit
volunteering, or I don’t go to that event.
>
--- End Quote ---
IIRC, this is a family charity of the OP's. While she has said
she'll be distancing herself, she was already obligated for this
event.
[/quote]
I thought it was a poll, not a comment on the OP's particular
charity.
#Post#: 36364--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: Raintree
Date: August 10, 2019, 1:54 am
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I've never been asked to pay to attend an event at which I am
volunteering. I have always been given a pass to get in, AND
been fed, if food was being served. I've bought my own food if
food was not part of it and there happened to be food trucks
around to buy stuff if you got hungry. But at events where there
is some big table of food, the volunteers are usually fed
without having to pay. If someone is giving up their time it
shouldn't actually cost them.
#Post#: 36380--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: oogyda
Date: August 10, 2019, 11:25 am
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--- Quote from: Luci link ---
>
> [quote author=oogyda link=topic=1265.msg36327#msg36327
date=1565378847]
> [quote author=Luci link=topic=1265.msg36305#msg36305
date=1565368588]
> If I volunteer for a charity I can’t afford, I quit
volunteering, or I don’t go to that event.
>
--- End Quote ---
IIRC, this is a family charity of the OP's. While she has said
she'll be distancing herself, she was already obligated for this
event.
[/quote]
I thought it was a poll, not a comment on the OP's particular
charity.
[/quote]
It is a poll. But, I think Rain's follow-up posts make it clear
her inquiry was for this particular event.
I don't think there's anything wrong with commenting to others
rather than sticking strictly to answering the poll.
I could be wrong
#Post#: 36402--------------------------------------------------
Re: Paying to volunteer
DIR By: prock929
Date: August 10, 2019, 6:39 pm
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--- Quote from: oogyda link ---
>
>
> It is a poll. But, I think Rain's follow-up posts make it
clear her inquiry was for this particular event.
>
> I don't think there's anything wrong with commenting to others
rather than sticking strictly to answering the poll.
>
> I could be wrong
>
--- End Quote ---
While I did have this particular event in mind when asking the
question, It could apply to other events. My concern is that,
as the charity grows and we start bringing in volunteers from
outside the core family/friends group, we will have difficulty
with getting people to help with events if they are also
expected to pay full price.
I appreciate all of the comments and now have some discussion
points I can bring up in the future.
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