Hot
Topic Archive
October
2006
Tales
from the dark side...
By guest Hot Topic contributor
DJ Cronin with
OzVPM Director Andy
Fryar
Our
Hot Topic this month is contributed by DJ Cronin,
a Volunteer Program Manager from Brisbane who recently
made the move to working in a 'for profit' hospital
after many years in the not-for-profit sector. The
reaction by many of DJ's peers to his change in focus
has been interesting to say the least, and so we decided
it was time to open up this can of worms and see what
crawled out!
An
eerie quietness settled upon the room. One could hear
the rain beat on the windowpanes while in the distance,
a dog barked.
All
I had said was that I was a Volunteer Manager working
in a 'for profit' organisation.
Someone
hissed. I caught my reflection in the windowpane.
My eyes glowed red and the horns on top of my head
seemed to grow longer. I suddenly stood, and wrapping
my black cape around myself I began a laugh that began
with a slow giggle and gradually increased to a roar
of laughter as I exposed my fangs. Some VPMs fainted
while others made for the doors and windows in panic.
Ah
Satire! Some say it is the lowest form of wit but
I disagree. While I thought that the opening paragraphs
and headline might grab your attention for this month's
Hot Topic, there are actually some aspects of truth
in what I have written above although granted, the
devil part is made up for those of you seriously worried
about me!
The
setting was the recent 'Retreat
for Advanced Volunteer Management' held in Brisbane
. I had been sitting in my community group when our
facilitator had asked us for issues that we would
like to discuss. When someone mentioned the topic
of volunteers working in the 'for profit' sector someone
shouted from the back "yea - the prostitution of Volunteering!"
Someone else spoke up saying, "just ask DJ", with
the comment coming a person who had already approached
me earlier, informing me that I had joined the dark
side! Talk about being in the spotlight!
I
waited a while and eventually had the opportunity
to talk about our wonderful volunteer program and
I wondered aloud what our volunteers would think of
the notion of the prostitution of volunteering?
Another
specific incident prompted me to write on this subject.
While surfing through Volunteering Australia's excellent
new website I came across a PowerPoint presentation
all about volunteering which I quickly downloaded.
The presentation included a statement or definition
that stated volunteers only volunteered for 'not for
profit agencies'. Really? Then what were those people
freely giving their time to our organisation to be
called?
The
fact is that many hospitals and aged care facilities
have been bought and are now being run by and as private
organisations. Many have adopted the volunteer programs
that already existed at the time of purchase, while
others have actually instigated brand new volunteer
programs. Are we to ignore and/or shun this new trend
or are we going to embrace it as another avenue for
people exercising their democratic right to volunteer
where and how they choose to do so?
I
make it a point to ask each volunteer applying to
work at my agency about their motivation for volunteering.
Their answers are the universal answers that we all
hear:
- I want to volunteer at my
local hospital
- I've been to this hospital,
the care I received was excellent and now I'd like
to volunteer here
- I want to bring companionship
to sick people
- I have an affinity for war
veterans and I want to assist them in some way
And
just in case you are wondering, yes I do inform them
of the status of the hospital and its history. The
organisation that I work for engages volunteers to
provide care and companionship for patients as well
as their loved ones. I could tell many inspiring tales
about the differences they have made to people's lives.
We have shared tears and laughter. Volunteers do that.
I
have worked in volunteer management for over 8 years,
the majority of that time in the not for profit sector
and believe me when I tell you that I won't stay in
any organisation that does not value and respect its
volunteering teams! Management has trusted my experience
and expertise to run this volunteer program and I
am part of that management team. Our volunteer mission
statement states that our service plays an integral
role in the care and wellness of patients, and that
our volunteers strive to provide a positive experience
for patients and recognise diversity by treating all
people with dignity and respect.
You
may well ask where we should draw a line in the sand?
I suggest that these things need to be looked
at on a case by case basis - that is to say, we need
to examine the nature of the volunteering and the
contribution that it makes to the lives of the people
it affects - as well as to the volunteers themselves.
Many
years ago I learnt that rigid views can stop progress.
In fact rigid views can lead to strife and even wars.
If our society as a whole dropped these views and
adopted the middle ground where we take a look at
both sides of the coin, then we would have a more
cohesive, tolerant, peaceful and compassionate society.
And that is not a rigid view of mine as I can listen
to other views without hissing at others! .but I digress!
I
do hope that we do not see the creation of different
tiers of volunteering in our society along the 'for
profit' vs 'not for profit' lines, and that we also
don't venture down the George Orwell road where all
volunteers are equal - but some are just a little
more equal than others!
Additional
thoughts by Andy Fryar
OK,
so what do you make of DJ's thoughts and what thinking
do you have of your own around this topic of volunteers
working in the 'for profit' sector?
For
me this has been a topic of great interest for many
years, as it has always seemed that the prescriptive
measure of volunteering in 'not-for-profit agencies
only', so often stated in volunteering definitions,
has always seemed contradictory to those parts of
the same definitions which usually precede it - namely
that volunteering is done by free will. After all,
if I choose to go and volunteer for Rupert Murdoch,
knowing fully that my efforts are going to line his
pocket, why should I not be allowed to do that and
why should that effort not be called volunteering?
Now I know that is an extreme example (and not a likely
one), but if we are going to look objectively at this
topic we need to push the boundaries and ask the questions
as the answers are not always as black and white as
we would like - in fact in volunteerism grey is usually
the colour of choice!
Consider
these examples:
- Corporate volunteering has
largely been accepted now as a valid avenue of voluntary
service, yet in many cases it is clear that these
relationships still largely benefit the corporate
partner and not so much the NFP agency they are
working with
- What about the vast amounts
of money saved by governments through the utilisation
of volunteers? Sure they don't directly benefit
shareholders, but let's be honest and acknowledge
there is more than just goodwill behind the motivations
of governments wanting to involve volunteers
- Through the direct fundraising
efforts of volunteers, many NFP's raise significant
and substantial funds that go directly towards paying
for the salaries and wages of their staff, yet we
never question this
Here's
where DJ's comments are so vital - as a professional
in our field, he acknowledges that there is the possibility
for volunteers working in the for profit sector to
be taken advantage of, which is the very reason he
believes we need to be more inclusive of that part
of volunteerism - so that we can ensure we have well
trained people working in those agencies and making
sure that everything is done in the right way and
for the right reasons.
At
the end of the day it surely must be a better alternative
to the 'Ostrich' approach so many of us seem to want
to take.
OK
over to all of you - let's hear your comments about
this fascinating topic
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