I tend to agree with you. I've volunteered at several places, however, where a new volunteer would appear and then several weeks later they'd just not show up. That does throw off any planning that can be done around them, which can be a problem.

When I first retired I took a long look at what was available in my community and thought hard about how I would feel working with them before I even approached the agency myself as I didn't want to cope out after a week or two. Your could probably contact the agency directly and ask if you could visit and learn more about the job. I'm sure they're rather have someone who would give that much thought to something before committing, than someone who would agree just on a whim to volunteer.
I'm sure there are plenty of those places represented at that meeting you went to who wouldn't mind you dropping by to see what they were all about.

At our senior center there is a group called R.S.V.P. (Retired Senior Volunteer P.....) which I think is a national organization, whereby if a volunteer is needed on a one-time basis, they can call their membership and usually find someone to take the job on. I think it's a great thing.

I think both sides have valid points. If I'm retired and want to volunteer, I want to do it when I feel like it and not be expected on specific days/times....like a job!

OTOH---having scheduled volunteers helps the organization plan better, not to mention investing time and resources training people who may or may not show up. Imagine an employee spending a few hours, say, stuffing envelopes, only to have a volunteer show up later who could have done it. And suppose you have been trained on their filing system and the filing piles up but they never know when you are coming in to do it.

DH has never volunteered much and is looking forward to it when he retires, but I keep telling him it is not all it is cracked up to be sometimes. My BF retired and volunteered for two causes she believed in and after several years has quit both---too much "politics" even among the volunteer ranks, too many curmudgeons who only want to do things one way and not open to new ideas, cliques, and expecting more and more from you all the time.

I've had the exact same thought. I live near a major museum an would love to volunteer there, but after looking at the "application," it seemed like a job. I take my volunteering responsibilities very seriously and always show up when I'm supposed to and do a good job, but I don't want to be nailed down like this organization indicates. As I recall, they want a 2-year commitment. OK, I'm willing, but I just don't want to feel like an employee! Who knows, I might get sick, or a family member might need me...who knows? The whole thing just gave me an uncomfortable feeling, so I volunteer elsewhere.

For several years now since I retired, I volunteer for a shift once a week at the hospital which is just 3 blocks from my home. I am at the front information desk which needs to be staffed all day. I have a 3 hour shift. The hospital employees are wonderful and always thank me for coming in. If I am ill or have a schedule conflict, I call in or mark myself off the schedule in advance and they use a sub. Some volunteers are snow birds who are gone for 3 months in the winter. Every April the hospital puts on a nice volunteer appreciation dinner at a local hotel. Volunteers are honored for the number of hours they have worked the previous year. I always feel appreciated for the work I do.

I think it is hard to find the perfect volunteer job. I too tried a volunteer job that was too restrictive.

I was a Girl Scout leader for both my daughters. What I liked was the flexibility of holding meetings when and how often I wanted. Since we worked around the school calendar, we had many holiday, vacation and summer breaks.

Since you are still working, I would hold off on looking for a volunteer role. Just my opinion but a drop in volunteer job would probably be paper work like filing that always piles up, or something equally boring.
To me, I don't just get satisfaction from the idea of being helpful. Some might. I like to be not only needed, but creative in what I do.
Thinking about the shelters, I would imagine that walking the dogs could be drop in. Thete are so many dogs I can't imagine you ever being turned away.

Many orgs rely and benefit from volunteers. On the other hand, it's a management challenge.

Think of it this way - the more structured the expectation, the likely more valuable the volunteers' contributions are. Think of Linda's case - you can't "man" an information desk by having people show up when they feel like it. It takes a fixed schedule and people who honor their commitments.

Most orgs also experience a high rate of dropout among volunteers, so that's why they have minimum hours and expectations. It's a waste of their time to train and schedule 10 people who show an initial interest, only to lose half of them in the first few months.

Any task that can be done at the whim of someone just "showing up" is likely not worth doing.

I think these places sound well organized. Volunteering shouldn't be looked upon as a pastime for the volunteer. It's a challenge to manage volunteer resources. You have no power to hire or fire, but you should at least be able to count on someone who will show up regularly and *do the job*.

I have volunteered in several areas of a hospital -- most interesting was as intake paperwork person in the ER. There, and a several other hospitals, I've encountered 'volunteers' for whom the institution was doing the 'good work'' -- managing to keep some well-meaning but incompetent people busy, sometimes only by pairing them with another *competent*, volunteer.

I've served on two all-volunteer boards. You encounter the same difficulties. Some people want to 'keep busy' and be seen as doing good, but only at their convenience.

You won't find anything meaningful to do as a volunteer if you don't treat your volunteer hours as seriously as you did your paying job.

chisue, I can tell by what you say that you have served on a board. I wasn't suggesting that I was looking for a volunteer position where I could just "show up" whenever I wanted, nor was I looking for some way to "keep busy to be seen as doing good at my own convenience". I happen to have two highly trained skills that I am willing to offer, should they be needed.

Ha-hah! You *know* about volunteer boards! I often wonder that institutions survive them. (School boards, municipalities, etc.)

I hope you do find a good 'fit'. It may not even be the set of skills you already have, but a good mind and heart will be appreciated.

When I first retired, I also looked into volunteer work. your mention of a meticulous schedule may have been associated with a service that operates on a demand schedule. For example, in my case one orgnization was looking for drivers to pick up clients to go shoppng or doctor's appointments. I nearly bit until I found out they expected you to use your private vehicle. By doing that, they were also off-loading liability making you responsible for the well-being of the client from time of pick-up to drop-off at a safe location. My auto and personal liability insurance did not cover such activity.

I'm a member of our local Rotary and we volunteer both with our own projects and with other organizations that we sometimes partner with. Ours are mostly project-based: installing a playground for our local hospice, fundraisers, etc, so any scheduled time is planned well in advance and is short term rather than recurring. The only exception is the food bank where some of us volunteer. That is recurring, but only once a month, so it's pretty easy to schedule.

We've had other organizations speak to us at our meetings and they needed/wanted volunteers for scheduled times. Depending on the organization and their needs, they must be able to schedule and have someone commit because they need to know that someone is there to fill a particular role. It is difficult, though, for most working people to commit to things like that, especially during the week.

Keep looking around. There are volunteer opportunities that are more flexible.

When I retired in 2005, I felt the same way. Had marched to employers' tunes for 35 years and wasn't about to do it any more :-) So, I started crocheting again. I've donated childrens' throws and small blankets to the domestic violence agency, the same-day surgery center, and now for several years baby blankets for the hospital nursery.

I learned that there are some new moms who have NOTHING to take their babies home in (here in freezing eastern upstate NY). We also have a good-sized military contingency here and thus new moms who have no family nearby and so grateful that someone cared. It is win-win for me and the nurses are especially appreciative.

If I have an abundance of cotton yarn, I make lightweight summer blankets for them.

As an aside, I was told that everyone wants to make newborn caps, but they need other things as well.

I was just going to reply that kittiemom summed it up, and then wantoretire_did expanded on it. I will look into the Historical Society but otherwise give up on trying to find a fit for time. I have donated my handwoven baskets for charity raffles for years, so I will just continue along those lines using my artistic talents. :)

I worked for non-profits my entire career. They all depend on volunteers. In some of my jobs, I was responsible for the volunteers in my office. That meant that I had to have projects planned out in advance so all the needed material was ready as well as a space to work. Our volunteers all had assigned time slots. It was the only way it was going to work. If they had shown up at any time, I would not have been ready for them. Of course, as a volunteer, they could choose not to come in but they always called in advance to let me know. When we needed them for extra work, I could always call them to see if they could come in to help, which they did. We truly valued their help. Non-profits usually work on a shoestring so volunteer help is essential.

It is possible for a volunteer to just be in the way of they are not willing to be part of the business aspect of an organization. Of course, there are a few positions where you can come and go, but not many.

Now I am retired and volunteer at my library. I go from 1 - 4 every Thursday afternoon. Last week I had a dental appointment so I called and said I could not be there. They have to arrange their staffing around having the front desk covered, which is what I do when I am there.

When I worked at a hospital they were very appreciative of knit baby blankets and caps for the babies going home, more as a nice gesture than an essential item since it was located in a fairly well-to-do area.

I'll agree that volunteering may require a commitment in order for that organization to operate on a schedule. To them, it's a structured business where things have to be done on time. People who have a firm belief in their goals view the effort as helpful, not a 'job'.
Also agree that people with talent/ability can benefit an organization, on their own time/schedule, by making contributions of items to that group. There's no commitment, and you don't have to 'be there'. For some, resources (money/materials) may limit their activity. Perhaps ask that group ........ maybe someone donated 500 boxes of yarn they don't know what to do with? Look for creative ways to volunteer your skills or time.

Regarding a volunteer's hours, I never meant to imply that someone would/could "just show up" whenever they felt like it! Working against a short-term planned schedule to accomplish a task is one thing, but I feel it's too restrictive of these organizations to require a volunteer to commit to working specific days and hours, every week, every month, forever.

Can I gripe about "volunteer work" one more time?! :p

I teach basket weaving at the city's non-profit Art & Community Center... I am often asked by the Exec. Director to volunteer my time and materials to do demonstrations and free classes, and was asked again last Wednesday to do *any* free art/craft presentation. I was told that in March they preferred Monday or Thursday evenings, and in April they preferred Saturdays, and to let them know what I would do and the date/time I preferred.

I submitted a proposal on Wed. (Mar. 12th) to do a presentation on Thurs. evening March 20th, and a different type of demonstration on Sat. morning April 5. On Thurs (Mar 13) I received a reply from the Exec. Dir. saying she was busy and would respond on Friday (Mar 14) to finalize plans. It's now Mar 16 and I still haven't heard from her, and at this point I'm *ticked off*! She does this to me ALL THE TIME! She will typically wait a week or more to respond to me -- and then she'll want me to do something completely different from what I proposed. I think it's time for me to give up on them too!!!

I've tried volunteering before and IT IS A JOB.....but without pay!

Soooooooooooooooo I'd just get a paying job if that's what I was after. My time is worth a paycheck!

If after getting a paycheck you want to donate say $10K and write it off on your taxes.....more power to you.

I'm sure a cash donation would be appreciated more than an unskilled volunteer worker.....

Just a thought...

Party, I'm with you. Just because you volunteer your time doesn't mean you shouldn't be treated with the same respect as a paid worker. If anything, you should be given more respect because you are volunteering your time.

Just this morning, my husband heard a talk on the radio about NOT retiring. The speaker's premise was that we are not meant to just sit around, that we need a purpose. If you can still work at your job than you should!
I don't think I totally agree with this, but I can see having a plan in place. Fo some, volunteering or even going back to work in a lower , less stressful postition might be the answer.
My nephew has a culinary degree. His boss took him aside and pointed out an older man who was the chef. This man was a multi millionaire. He became depressed and the therapist said, what made you happy? He was never more happy than running a restaurant kitchen. His expertise was using leftovers in creative ways so nothing went to waste.

I don't like my job and will retire within a year or so. I look forward to sitting around doing nothing,....at least for a little while!

Thanks for the replies and for allowing me to vent. :)

My perspective is different because I have always LOVED my job!!! I'm a software developer -- high tech, fast turn-around prototyping work, and it's a blast! I am also a very artistic/creative person, so I need that outlet too. :)

I've been closely affiliated with this A&C center for 7 years, and have silently accepted this treatment. This time I decided to send an email to the Exec. Dir. telling her (in a much nicer way) that I'm busy too and it's not fair to leave me hanging, so let's just forget about it. She has replied VERY apologetically and wants me to reconsider and phone her.

What would you do?

Assuming you are still interested, I would take the approach of starting over. Outline what you need her to do in order for you to do what you do.

Yes, she is probably super busy and it would nice of you to acknowledge her busy schedule. But at the same time if she wants someone of your caliber she needs to step up to the plate.

And why wouldn't it be like a "job"?

Being a volunteer is a commitment. You can't just wander in when you feel like it. The organization needs to know they can depend upon you to be where and when you are needed. They have specific things they need help with, and those things don't wait for you to drop in when you have a moment.

I did volunteer work for the Make a Wish foundation. I wanted to help organize the souvenir program for a charity tennis match. Following up on the artwork, interfacing with the advertisers, proofing the galley, following up on the final product.

I asked when I could assist with the wish fulfillment program and I was told I needed to earn it. I understood they needed to be able to rely on me, and I had to prove myself. Sleeping in, taking long lunches, going shopping, leaving early, not showing up - those things aren't acceptable just because you're working for free. The fact that you say you wouldn't do this, doesn't mean someone else would.

While working through this challenge I witnessed several "flakes" come and go, drifting in when they felt like it, seeing this as just a hobby to stop by when they chose - and not a commitment, a "job". No wonder organizations feel the need to ask for assurance that their volunteers will be reliable and committed.

Most organizations are underfunded, and volunteers are a gift. But just because you're giving your time for free instead of getting a paycheck doesn't mean drop in when you feel like it.

party_music -- You asked what we would do in your circumstance.

I would say I was unable to make commitments of time right now, but leave the door open for the director to contact you *with specific short-term assignments* in future. They can't 'miss you' until you're gone.

When I quit a job as girl-of-all-work in a suburban newspaper office, I was 'replaced' by THREE PEOPLE. What a sucker I had been!

I have two volunteer jobs. I particularly like them, because unlike paid work, they are the types of jobs that don't require me to be there each week. They are long-term projects and it doesn't matter if I don't work on them for a week or two. This gives me the flexibility to go or not go, depending on what else I have going on in my life. I can also make it a shorter or longer day, again depending on other circumstances. I love volunteer work - it gets me out of the house and my work is needed and appreciated by the organizations involved.

I know our local re-uzit shop accepts scheduled and unscheduled workers.
You can show up and help sort donations, Or you can re-do decorations or wash windows, clean and check toys or electronics... or schedule to work the register.
I know our little league would aprreciate volunteers at concession stands or helping to officiate. Or even volunteering to organize a fundraiser of some sort. ( A short-term commitment)
Are you a retired business person, could you volunteer to mentor a small business start-up? Teach a couple classes at school?
Artistic? - help design play sets at the local communty center or school...make costumes... do make-up.
Can you visit at a senior center? My father ( a senior himself) gets PAID to visit with people when their family is too far away, too busy (or too lazy) to visit themselves. He is employed by the senior village and does many other things as well...he accepts or declines work as he wants it. He has made many many friends. ( a stupid confict being employed, but thats another post!)

I do volunteer and do so on a regularly scheduled basis. They, in turn, understand that there are times when I can't come(for whatever reason) and by letting them know in advance, if at all possible, they are able to plan around that time.

party_music, not sure if you've made your decision yet about your continued involvement with this organization. I assume that if you've been associated with them for that long that you enjoy it. I think I'd call the director and explain what led you to send the email. If she seems willing to make some changes, then give them a second chance. Most organizations really value their volunteers. Perhaps the director just needed a wake-up call.

I don't think that party_music expects to just be able to wander in and out or show up on a whim. I certainly don't, but I have to fit in my volunteering around my job and other commitments, so I need something a little more flexible, which is what it sounds like party_music is looking for. I work for a healthcare non-profit and we depend heavily on volunteers, so I certainly understand the importance and value of volunteers. For those of us with full-time jobs, though, it isn't always possible to commit to a certain number of hours weekly.

I have a full time job, a household to manage, and father with dementia who I need to spend time with and for whom I manage affairs. I still want to contribute my time and help others, but it has to fit in around all that. Just because you need something flexible doesn't mean that you don't take volunteering seriously.

kittiemom, regarding this particular organization, the Exec Director phoned me the other day to apologize. She blamed herself and finally told me it's her personal life that's caused the problem... she's getting married in early May. If you haven't seen my other thread, I did agree to do another freebie presentation for them.