do you think volunteers are exploited?

Question

these days those who shake tins get a % of what they collect and those in charge are usually on a good wack when you read the recruitment page. so why volunteer to feather someone elses bed , why give to pay toward a retired director's final salary pension

Answer 1

Your question seems a little confused - is it about exploited volunteers or overpaid directors?. Let me see if I can make sense of it.

People that get paid for getting donations do not "shake tins". The paid collectors wear a tabard of the charity concerned and call out to you in the street. Their aim is to convince you (via a prepared sales pitch) to sign a direct debit mandate to pay something like £12 per month. They are known colloquially as "chuggers" (charity muggers). They work for a professional fundraising company - they are not employees (nor volunteers) of the charity for which they are collecting. So whilst today they could be wearing an Oxfam tabard, tomorrow they could be wearing a Help The Aged tabard. They are not on particularly good rates of pay (it may be commission only in many cases), and they have to be out on the street in all weathers. It could be argued that they are exploited, but then it is no more than with some commercial interests like selling encyclopaedias door-to-door, or telesales.

The people that you see in tabards with a collection tin (or bucket) seeking cash, often outside a supermarket or at the entrance to a railway/underground station, will be volunteers that give their own time to help a charity of their choice. They choose to do this for no personal reward other than the "feel-good" factor. I have done this myself for Task Brasil (reg. no. 1030929) and Thornbury Round Table (reg. no. 1059159).

Registered charities have to abide by financial rules imposed by the Charity Commission. Only a certain proportion of donations can be applied to administration costs (I think it's a maximum of 15%). The charities have to submit annual accounts to the Commission, and its website (www.charity-commission.gov.uk) has information on each registered charity - including how up to date the accountuing returns are and the gross income and expenditure. Only very large charities will have directors with final salary schemes. A lot of small charities are true labours of love, being run entirely by volunteers.

I would recommend anyone wishing to give to charity to pay directly to one that is registered with the Charity Commission (by covenanted gifts or deductions from salary) and avoid the chuggers entirely. That way you know that (1) your preferred charity does not have to pay a third party for a proportion of your donation, (2) the charity can reclaim tax on the amounts donated, and (3) the donations will be accounted for correctly.

Answer 2

I agree with some of what you say, but the benefits to volunteering can also be huge. Employers nearly always look favourably upon applicants that have spent time volunteering in a relevant field.

Answer 3

I volunteer at a senior center helping the

kitchen staff prepare and serve meals and the higher ups

really appreciate all the work that the volunteers do. I feel

very happy to help the seniors; and they thank me all the time.

Answer 4

What volunteers are u talking about

Answer 5

In my experience, Volunteers are happier workers who enjoy what they do more than employees.

Answer 6

volunteers have always been exploited basically peoples greed to get as much as possible for nothing

Answer 7

no. this is volunteering only