Do you volunteer? If not, why not?

I am suffering with total burnout after ten years as a full time carer. I just need to get myself back together again. It is not for want of friends trying to get me to volunteer.

I run a business from home so I have very little time for anything else.

I did volunteer to do "ring and chat" for a local charity during the first lockdown. The calls were by arrangement with the other people and no fixed times. I had 4 on my list and one lady I got to know quite well. Unfortunately I had a negative experince.

One day I called and a rough voice demanded to know who I was - very different accent from my "phone" friend. She then said "Oh your the busybody whose been calling my mum, Well Im here now so you dont need to bother her again." I told the rude woman that I would prefer to hear that from her mother but she just hung up. I tried calling back a few times but there was no answer.

When I reported it to the charity they said they would send a visitor around and advised me not to call again until they had investigated. Later I heard that social services had become involved but dont know any details. I would like to have found out what happend to my phone friend but I was told that for reasons of confidrntiality they could nto discuss it.

Ive heard several times online of people who went out of their way to help an elderly or vulnerable person - sometimes a neighbour - and been warned off by pushy relatives.

That put me off doing any more phone volunteering.

I volunteer an afternoon a week and casually here and there.

There have been volunteer opportunities in the past I would have loved to do (still would) but, while I can give the one day a week to volunteer, I can't give time to do the two weeks of full time training to start. I also find many organisations require a commitment it's only acceptable to ask of a paid employee.

Another Citizens Advice volunteer here. When I joined, the training was very different from what it is today, lots of courses, homework, shadowing and supervised interviews.
A commitment of ten hours a week was required, but it can be as flexible as needed.
We used to work by appointment only, which I liked as I felt I worked best when I had time to prepare. Then it all changed and we took whoever came in the door. I still had some appointments however.
In lockdown I opted to specialise in helping clients to complete Benefit forms, especially PIP, and to appeal against decisions. I am still doing this, working from home. There is huge demand for this. I have committed myself to two clients a week: one may take me three hours or up to five hours, including typing up afterwards.
Why do I do it?
Initially, to keep my brain ticking over, by learning something new and being useful at the same time, using my IT skills. I enjoy meeting people, be they clients or colleagues. We are appreciated by both clients and paid staff. There may be times when I feel like giving up after almost 15 years, but the need is there, and it is a way of helping others.
When I began, DH was still working. If I am honest, it also gives purpose to my days, twice a week, which I could easily fritter away doing not a lot.

I volunteered for years at the Citizens Advice Bureau. Then ‘separation’ and ‘divorce’ came in the way. Took roughly 7 years for completion / settlement. I had left the CAB for so long that it meant I would have to retrain. And frankly, the divorce took its toll and I was not emotionally ready to deal with people’s problems. I really wish I returned to it…..

It’s been awful lately Georgesgran but I keep trying my best!

Blossoming I reported ‘that’ post an hour ago, but it seems (from other threads) that GN office is having problems today.

I volunteer with a national heritage association, just a day a fortnight so not too restrictive.

Oops , fumble fingers.
I love all these things and have made so many friends and been to many interesting meetings and places. I always feel that I get far more out of them than I give.

Another law firm spamming an old thread! Reported.

For years when the children were young I was a volunteer fundraiser for a charity. Lots of social activities to raise money.
Over the years I must have baked hundreds of cakes for various fund raisers.
I am an organiser for a local craft club and on the WI committee in charge of outings and also help with fundraising for our WI and local charities. We also have a WI craft club which makes items for other charities.
Lastly , I also run a ‘scrapbooking ‘ group and next weekend we are off on a Spa break and scrappin’ retreat.
I l

Yes, I do volunteer and I love it.

I have Macular degeneration and am a member of the Macular Society. I help to run the local Macular group by organising coffee mornings and next month we are going out for an early Xmas lunch while the weather is still warmish and we can go home when it is still light.

I am taking part in an eye trial and because it involves an injection into the eye. I have offered to speak to people individually or in a larger group if any are squeamish or downright frightened at the thought. This has not happened yet.

I have mobility problems so could not stand in a charity shop and I certainly could not work the till with my visual problems.

I have done in the past, for some years, but since having Gdcs helping with childcare has to take priority. My dd has to go away for work fairly often, sometimes at short notice, so I just can’t commit to a regular X or Y day, especially when I need to be 60 miles away.

I used to volunteer at a Community Farm, but it required too great a commitment as I want to enjoy my retirement and not be tied down (and also care for my grandson 1 day a week)
Now volunteer for our community fridge, we have a rota each month and it is very flexible, so fits in perfectly with my life, whilst still making me feel useful.

yes I do, proper hands on volunteering hours a week helping people who need bespoke support
it's exhausting
and yes I am fed up of the 'oh you should help your own' lazy arsed bastards too who do bugger all to help anyone

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No i dont, i spent many years volunteering at Brownies/Guides/Beavers/cubs/Scouts and running a youth club and a Mums &Tots and a creche. Now that i have taken very early retirement this is my time. Once i hit 60 or and if i have the time i will volunteer again

Yes, I volunteer for Help for Heroes and also for my local community group (we organise Easter and Christmas events for children and families as well as wine tasting evenings, litter picking, planting around the village, curry nights, etc).

Not only does volunteering help me to improve my mental health, it means I meet people and feel of value.

I find it sad that there is so much rubbish around our streets and horrible to see people not caring about their villages and surroundings. If we all pulled together, the world would be a much nicer place.

I was a lawyer before I retired, and I was a partner in a leading litigation firm for many years. I offered to help at my local CAB, as I thought that I could use my skills to help people with problems which are often basically legal problems, such as injuries at work, employment or contract issues.

I really hoped that I could make a difference by fighting people's corners and protecting them - just by being on their side and having the experience and knowledge of how things work, and giving them the confidence and reassurance to believe everything would be ok.

I was called in for a 'test' which the organisers said I had completed better than any other applicant had ever done. Initially, I was advised that I would progress to the next stage, which would be an interview. However, ultimately this did not happen, as they said that I would put too many people's 'noses out of joint' if I was allowed to start dealing with legal cases and have 'clients' from day 1. Apparently, this is something which has to be earned as a privilege after months, if not years, of advising on benefits etc - not an area which I know anything about and I am not particularly numerate. In other words, I would not be permitted to use my skill set, but forced to do something in which I have little skill, to the detriment of the people, who came to the CAB in trouble and in need.

Although I am thinking of trying to find some other form of voluntary work, this experience has left me feeling somewhat disillusioned .

Until recently, I've always been far too busy working, studying and bringing up a large family. I like the idea of volunteering, but fear the commitment and routine. Making arrangements, changing and cancelling drive me dotty. If I could just 'drop in and help out' that would suit me.

I have volunteered in different ways all my adult life, when I was working it would be on top of the workday twice a week Since retiring my volunteering commitment have almost come up to full time, I work in a charity shop three days a week and a library one afternoon, I do community gardening in a local small park, I litter pick and beach clean when needed
I m not bragging I don’t want it to sound like I m a goody goody it gives me so much more than I give it It gets me out of the house and out of my own company I meet people I have a laugh, a moan, a grumble , it keeps me involved
It saves my sanity it helps me more than I help it

I was a very involved school governor for 22 years and consider that counted as volunteering. Now I am a carer for my ailing husband and my very elderly mother. I also help out with the GC. When I suggested volunteering for a local homeless charity I was , metaphorically, pinned to the ground my daughter and a friend who was visiting at the time. To be honest, I could do with someone volunteering to help me.

I volunteer for the wildlife trust. It is very enjoyable. I volunteer for outdoor tasks which have improved my understanding of environmental conservation. The tasks also improve my fitness and provide opportunities to enjoy nature. It is a pleasant experience working with other volunteers and the Trust staff.

It is sometimes not as easy as one might anticipate. Very often [perhaps rightly so] even voluntary organisations are not willing to "employ" folks who do not have traceable references. This has happened to us where we tried to volunteer for different charities, only to be told if we did not have the above, they were not willing to take the risk! Have now applied for a DBS certificate in the hope that volunteering as a class room assistant teaching literacy will be accepted. That's the trouble with having lived all over the world!!