It's true some people hear a lot about restructuring, downsizing and other corporate buzz words, but managers of volunteers are are not in the same businesses as IBM, Microsoft or the public service. Managers of volunteers may be given the same structural position as other managers but the businesses are very different.
As I have often volunteered with the idea of getting some work experience, or learning new things, this is definitely related to my career.
Volunteering in the environmental movement has put me in touch with a union, the Industrial Workers of the World. Through a presentation at the Peace and Environment Centre called Action Tuesdays participants could learn about the efforts made by the IWW like boycotts how this would stop industries from doing environmental damage.
As I stay in touch with this centre I see how they have a choice for any volunteer of serving on committees and networking with other movement groups. So while learning more about the environment I have both learned science but also been able to volunteer in a number of different offices with different size volunteer programs. But I can't really call these a placement by the coordinator, I just chose them freely. The PERC has a good program and I think are open minded about unions and education but were not as helpful as I had hoped for my career.
With Freenet my recent organisation of choice for my volunteering, I have seen a poorly run recognition system for individual supporters. But I have found that Freenet is open minded and I believe in the mission. I think I will have to continue to work towards becoming on the volunteer coordination committee at Freenet, have told the members of that committee, what needs improving with fund raising so that volunteer recognition doesn't also suffer.
I am learning new skills by using the Freenet and also volunteering, sometimes, with this organisation or, computer club. I have been able to join a number of professional bodies involved in computing. These are slightly above unions in the popular perception but again the doors and choices are open.
Of course, I said in class, that I volunteered for four months with Centrepoint Volunteer Theatre Company where supervisors are unionised and in fact I have also belonged with this union, the International Association of Theatre and Stage Employees, as a part-time labourer. I think we are doing it right with this, and even with mistakes I learn more about theatre, communicate more, and get out of the house into the real world by this type of labour and volunteering.
This is a good back up for my career as a volunteer, while I can volunteer elsewhere and still explore new things like computers and managing volunteers, the theatre is great experience with plenty of feedback, survey's, communication and lots of recognition and a good degree of openness. The drawback may be that it's too much like work but then many volunteer programs keep a work like discipline. Although this may not be ideal in my opinion, I may have no better method for these areas of service.
So, the National Capital Freenet, the Peace and Environment Resource Centre and Centrepoint Volunteer Theatre Company are doing the right things for me and they seem to have good relations with Unions and other professional bodies.
Copyright Peter Timusk
