Volunteers must not pay

I have just been reading the 'Volunteers must pay' by Jimmy Lockwood. I find it incredible that people working within CaRT can be so far out of touch with the expectations of others. I thought I had seen it all, I think I must have now! Writes Mick Fitzgibbons.

There is a lot of kudos to be gained for businesses to team-build their staff. There is no better way I am aware of to team-build, than a day spent volunteering.

Volunteer

I know, because it's how I used to spend my spare time. As a volunteer working with the RSPB at the Old Moor Nature Reserve. I enjoyed it so much that I joined the RSPB and continue to pay for my membership of what I think is a worthwhile organisation.

However, no individual or business pays out money for the pleasure of picking litter. No one pays good money to cut back the vegetation. No one pays hard earned money to paint a set of lock gates. No one in their right mind pays money to clean graffiti. If my boss said that he was paying for me to volunteer I would feel short changed.

Nice warm feeling

People who volunteer want that nice warm feeling that comes from giving of their free time; joining in the convivial atmosphere that comes from working with and alongside other people of the same ilk. Most people interested in volunteering would run a mile if you asked them to pay.

The only instance I can remember of anyone getting people to 'pay' for the pleasure was Tom Sawyer. Tom was fooling others into painting the picket fence on his behalf. No one with any business nous is going to be fooled that easily.

Form of punishment

To really stand it on its head and to put it into perspective, some people might well be ordered by the courts to do some community payback such as working on the towpath picking litter or painting, the payback being a form of punishment and paying back into the wider community.

Even the courts would not expect the miscreants to pay for the 'pleasure' of doing community service. What on earth is going on at Ivory Towers apart from calculating the next bonus! Don't they know that only a fool and his money are soon parted!