As a parish priest who comes into contact with lots of community-based voluntary organisations and services, I have to say my experience is not one of falling over people queuing up to volunteer for things! Rather, it's the opposite.
Schools can't get enough governors; Scouts, Guides and other youth organisations have waiting lists for young people but can't accept them because of an extreme shortage of adult volunteers; local charities have had to close because of lack of volunteers; and it is a similar story with the other community-based voluntary services.
So if there is already a great shortage of volunteers, where does Mr Cameron think the volunteers to run his 'Big Society' are going to come from??
I believe strongly in the ethic of voluntary and public service, so I am not making a cheap 'political' point. But from a purely practical perspective, has anyone seriously thought-through the voluntary staffing implications of all this??
Posted on: 19 July 2010 by mongo
If you'll forgive this simplistic response, I believe this phenomen may have it's roots in two relatively modern life diseases.
Being alive is expensive and very many people's time is taken up working and travelling to and from work, volunteer time in thire lives will be minimal.
But perhaps the most pernicious aspect of this society is the depressing pc and 'health and safety' explosion.
In almost any volunteer type position it is no longer simply a case of turning up and doing your best with enthusiasm.
The fear of strangers and near impossible H & S horror imaginings foisted upon our society by the bizarrely fearful and politically paronoid, have engendered so many checks, forms and intrusions that it has become rather toxic to the happy to help mentality.
I could be wrong of course.
Posted on: 19 July 2010 by JWM
I don't disagree with your comments, which I know are indeed part of the problem, because I have to manage a voluntary workforce myself, who are forever going on about them!
Back to the Big Society in particular, this only adds to the at best aspirational but half-thought-through, at worst ill-conceived, idea.
Posted on: 19 July 2010 by BigH47
All part of the arse saving that will be used after 5 years when it's all even more tits up, "It wasn't our fault, you lot took it on and are responsible"
Posted on: 19 July 2010 by Joe Bibb
quote:
Originally posted by JWM: As a parish priest who comes into contact with lots of community-based voluntary organisations and services, I have to say my experience is not one of falling over people queuing up to volunteer for things! Rather, it's the opposite.
Schools can't get enough governors; Scouts, Guides and other youth organisations have waiting lists for young people but can't accept them because of an extreme shortage of adult volunteers; local charities have had to close because of lack of volunteers; and it is a similar story with the other community-based voluntary services.
So if there is already a great shortage of volunteers, where does Mr Cameron think the volunteers to run his 'Big Society' are going to come from??
I believe strongly in the ethic of voluntary and public service, so I am not making a cheap 'political' point. But from a purely practical perspective, has anyone seriously thought-through the voluntary staffing implications of all this??
James,
You make some good points but I can't help feeling that Cameron has used the term "Big Society" purely to avoid the term "Smaller Government".
Being a cynic, my first reaction was - cost savings then. But if he means getting the running of some of these things out of nit-picking regulation and interference - you might find more volunteers. I certainly wouldn't do some of the state funded work locally, purely due to the lack of ability to make meaningful decisions locally.
Purse strings handed over but subjected to normal independent audit and control would seem a way off though.
Joe
Posted on: 19 July 2010 by Dungassin
[quote]As a parish priest who comes into contact with lots of community-based voluntary organisations and services, I have to say my experience is not one of falling over people queuing up to volunteer for things! Rather, it's the opposite.[/quotep]
It's a funny thing about volunteers. Like me, my wife is an atheist, although brought up as a Roman Catholic (sorry, JWM, but it's true). So, what does she do? She delivers the Parish Magazine for the local church! IIRC she took it on originally 20 years ago as a short term favour for a church-going friend who was ill. Been doing it ever since.
Now, she would like to give it up, because of the other 2 people involved, one is very old (nearly 90) and the other is in failing health. Can they find anybody from the congregationw willing to take it on? No.
I have on occasion delivered it myself when she has been unwell, and have even been sent out to collect the subscription money. It's amazing how difficult it can be to get the money from the subscribers! I have also pointed out to the local vicar (a friend), that I have no intention of taking on the duties should SWMBO ever become permanently unable to do it.
All perhaps not very relevant, but just shows how difficult it can be to get volunteers.
Posted on: 19 July 2010 by JWM
quote: "It's a funny thing about volunteers...parish mag..."
As grateful as I am for them ... yup
Posted on: 19 July 2010 by deadlifter
James you could get the scouts to help if they are affiliated to your church, i`m sure they would not mind doing their bit
Posted on: 19 July 2010 by mudwolf
I was a teen in the 60s. my mom was always doing things. Being Brownie and Girl scout leader for sisters and Cub scout for me. She was also helper at a military hospital and took cakes and magazines to them, I doubt they appreciated the happy homemaker, or cooking ones. I stole the Playboys, for which I"m sorry to deny them the pleasure, but the articles were great, Mort Sahl was very funny.
I help out at an art therapy group Fridays. When I go to meetings I stay to help clean up. Society does need more volunteers but with the economy and commute time it is difficult for many. People don't realize how it can extend their friendships and enrich lives.
Posted on: 20 July 2010 by Salmon Dave
I've worked as a volunteer at the local Arts Centre, running a film club, stewarding, publicity etc for many years. Most of the people I know would hate to think that they were doing it for the benefit of the Tory party.
It seems to be one of those things about our society that we should quietly celebrate. To build a political plank on it seems a naive mistake.
Posted on: 20 July 2010 by Jono 13
I have been mentoring at a local school with a bit of support from work and apart getting a CRB check done it was easy to sort out. The rewards are great and the chance the get more young people into science, technology, engineering and maths is worth it. As country that designs and manufactures high value goods, like Hi-Fi, stands a better chance of weathering the financial storms.
Jono
Posted on: 20 July 2010 by Guido Fawkes
The Big Great Society - perhaps Cameron is really a child of the flower power generation after all - well let's hope so.
Bring back Grace
I don't mind doing voluntary work as long as there is not some fat cat executive or entrepreneur making money out of it the background.
Posted on: 20 July 2010 by mudwolf
I saw the BBC America report on it. Sounds like he wants to slough off as many community services as he can. You know that will create chaos when several people disagree and one or two try to grab all the power or start making bad decisions. Chaos will ensue with people not trained properly. Besides what's the volunteer going to pay the bills with?
It's amazing that I hear on news so many are out of work and can't pay bills yet the later reports are about cutting government but they don't want to extend benefits to unemployed. That's the reason we're in a pickle.
Let one high end employee go and keep many lower workers paid would be the best deal. Or why not just become a communist state and each gets what they need, but not what they want.
Posted on: 20 July 2010 by David Scott
Volunteering is a fantastic thing and in practice the business with CRB checks/ risk assessments and various policies is extra work for the organisation certainly, but not insuperable. There are a lot of fantastic organisations run by volunteers.
BUT you can't make it happen to order and you can't begin rely on it to provide minimum standards of service across the board. If you were to make serious attempt to support the creation of enough organisations to do so the start up costs would be enormous. Big Society is a smokescreen for the most vicious cuts in public funding since the 1920's.
Posted on: 20 July 2010 by Mike Dudley
I suspect a large part of this is Eric "Who Ate the Pies?" Pickles trying to force us to accept a widening of the Xtian superstition's role in society. Fat fool.
Posted on: 20 July 2010 by Guido Fawkes
Imagine a society that is stateless and run by voluntary communities where all goods and services are private - there is a name for that said Mr Godwin to Mr Warren.
Posted on: 22 July 2010 by Mike Dudley
quote:
Originally posted by Mike Dudley: I suspect a large part of this is Eric "Who Ate the Pies?" Pickles trying to force us to accept a widening of the Xtian superstition's role in society. Fat fool.
Originally posted by Mike Dudley: I suspect a large part of this is Eric "Who Ate the Pies?" Pickles trying to force us to accept a widening of the Xtian superstition's role in society. Fat fool.
