Voluntary work, is it worth it?

The Guardian quotes that a representative of the Scouts association are calling for mandatory training of volunteers to deal with children with other or different needs, my words ,not theirs, but the meaning is there.
That would be me out of the door, that is taking volunteering to a different level, fine if they want that training, but made to undertake it, no.

Leaders in the Scout organisation can't do it without training so it is easy just to add it in..
Of course you can be made to do training - you agree to it before they take you on!
I woukd say that it is one if those communication problems and it was handled very badly.
As a volunteer I would not be willing to take a child away in what may be dangerous circumstances when they can't be relied upon to follow instructions. However, it doesn't need one to one all the time and they need to get the parents on board and not antagonise.
The Scout organisation are one if the few places where children can take risks- a shame if that ends because parents can't work with them. They also struggle to get volunteers and it will become even harder if volunteers feel that they they don't get the support they need.
Sad really because the Scout association have many children with special needs and usually the parents are very grateful and fully supportive.
Relations seem to have soured in this case- I bet it was just handled very badly.

So you wouldn't like to cope with an autistic child, annsixty?

I can’t see how this can be resolved, the parents say that the child didn’t need one to one supervision, but because of the child’s difficulties I am sure that the Insurance companies will now demand that one to one supervision is in place.

How would a volunteer who only sees the child one day a week, know how this child is likely to react? The obvious thing to do is to err on the side of caution.

Damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

What are they going to debate Durhamjen? It's a genuine question, not the start of an argument

It's a minefield isn't it. Dealing with one child with one level of autism (or any other special need), is totally different to another. How can we expect voluntary organisations to cope with having one child with autism, another with mobility issues, or hearing impairment, or visual impairment, or ADHD, etc etc. They will do what they can, but have to maintain the ethos of their work alongside the safety of all participants.

It sounds harsh but we cannot expect everyone and every organisation to cater to every need. It is just not realistic. Voluntary organisations bend over backwards to improve the lives of their members but they must be allowed to know their own limits and capabalities.

I only skimmed through the article, but do hope that the parents of the boy volunteer regularly with the Scout troop or other organisations.

Lots of voluntary organisations have mandatory training - for example Citizens Advice, Basic Ist Aid, Basic Health and Safety, Data Protection, Safeguarding- being a volunteer doesn’t exempt you from the law and the rules f an organisation- fine if you don’t want to , don’t do it, leave it to those who want to do the role properly. Wildswan so you only skimread the article - quite

nas-email.org.uk/YA3-5J76I-JOJHF8-320W5I-1/c.aspx

The link, Eglantine.

"On the 29th March, the Rt Hon Dame Cheryl Gillan MP has called for a debate in parliament to recognise the lack of understanding of autism and the impact this has on autistic people and their families.

We need you to get your MP to attend the debate. Using the form opposite add your personal story to encourage your MP to speak up for you in Parliament, so we can make sure understanding autism is on the public agenda."

I know my MP will be attending. It is to be broadcast on parliament TV.

‘Entitled and suing culture’ Wow - it’s not as if children with autism are entitled to the protection of the Equality Act or their parents entitled to the protection of the Data Protection Act - whatever next? You’ll be saying that the alleged sexual abuse of scouts shouldn’t be investigated because you know well the abusers were volunteers so that’s all right then - why should the Scouts or any other organisation with volunteers be able to pick and choose which laws it observes and which it doesn’t? The voluntary world has moved on, the world in general has changed - voluntary organisations have to move with those times - when I was a brownie/guide many disabled children were in institutions or residential schools or kept hidden at home out of shame - they wouldn’t have troubled the local brownies or guides or cubs or scouts

Truly unbelievable.
How did the judge calculate the amount awarded?
What will that money be used for? The child? Haha...I doubt it.
It's a litigious society and I hate it.

Thanks Durhamjen ?

GG RTFT - or rather, my informed factual posts. THERE WAS NO JUDGE - and the boys and his parents had some of their lawful rights ignored. I do wish someone would explain why they believe the scouts should be able to act with impunity in the face of the law - is it because it’s only the law to do with disability and so it doesn’t matter but if the roof of the scout hut fell down on your dgs’s head because H and S inspections had been ignored you would perhaps think that legal action and compensation would be justified?

Parents are lawyers says it all.

Under no circumstances would I volunteer to supervise children who were in any way 'needy'. If that boy had drowned on a camping trip or set a tent alight by not following rules, the parents would sue, so they sue because he had needs iver and above the other lads attending the camp. They don't have enough volunteers to allocate 121 supervision.
What next?
How about a disabled person going on a cruise and expecting the crew to get him/her into bed and shower, cut up food etc.? That scenario is no more ridiculous than the one we're talking about. It's a slippery slope.

*over

maryeliza54

In the OP it is said the THE JUDGE awarded....blah blah.
Maybe you should have read it.

The volunteers who give their time willingly and freely should not have to deal with a child who is different, at least one of the parents should volunteer too to ensure their child is cared for according to his needs. I am amazed that the scout association has had to pay money to these very cheeky lawyers who expect other people to be responsible for their child in difficult circumstances.

maryeliza54

Please note that I don't take kindly to remarks directed at me which include crude language albeit in acronym form.

Have you had a bad experience with the scouts ME? Because well you seem a bit "antiscoutist"

People expect far too much from voluntary groups. No wonder they fold. So every child is deprived of some adventure and outdoor fun. We had a walking group where parents dumped their kids on us on a Saturday while they went shopping. Glorified child minders. We had to stop children from coming.

The parents have indirectly curtailed the freedom and pleasures of thousands of others by their actions. It is another case of the law of unintended consequences where a special pleading for one individual will result in back covering henceforth. It may well be the beginning of the end for adventure weekends away for youngsters.

Foe every virtue signalling, 'Well, I would go and look after the child!' (and who believes this anyway?) there will be a dozen volunteers who will now think twice before putting themselves on the line.

Durhamjen, for several years I had a very disturbed autistic child brought to my home one afternoon a week, from her school at 3pm and cared for her ,giving her teas, playing with her and keeping her until 7:30pm and then taking her home, so that her parents and 3 siblings could have one meal and a short time together without her needs and behaviour being paramount.
I had her one full day a week during school holidays and we attempted one overnight a month but that wasn't possible, her needs were too great.
It only stopped when she became too physically strong for my H and I and very soon afterwards for her parents.
I have an 8 year old GS recently diagnosed with autism but he is totally on the other end of the scale, being highly intelligent but only liking the company of adults.
So to answer your question, yes I don't mind at all looking after an autistic child, UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES, and when that child is my only concern at that time.

Totally agree with jura2 & Day6 and their considered contributions.

Litigation with huge payouts will only result in organisations abandoning these more risky trips. I have seen this happen in schools.

maryeliza54 you're posts are patronising and rude.

Is this not perhaps a result of the society we live in. Groups have to be responsible for so much these days, and the fallout from mistakes or errors of judgement can be so great, that they 'over protect' themselves, just in case!

Rediculous but unfortunately the norm today and yes I do agree that this sort of attitude will increasingly frustrate and eventually dissuade people from volunteering time and assistance. Eventually voluntary organisations such as the Scouts, and many other organisations will be all the worse for the lack of help. Some such things will completely fold.

Do these ‘lawyers’ have any idea what their attitudes achieve? I saw an advert on the telly yesterday where a chap tripped and fell in the road, the sort of thing that anyone on here might do any day if the week. He was informed he had a ‘right’ to compensation. What bollox, he tripped - should have looked where he was going. Now this American legislative compensation culture is driving up prices of EVERYTHING from insurance to transport, simply to pay for ‘compensation’ for misguided fools who cannot think outside of their ‘rights’. Makes me spit !!!