Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Janepie33]

Does anyone have any experience of volunteering and then stopping? How did you do it?

 

I have been volunteering for a charity for nearly 2 years now (including the initial 4 month training) and I have had enough. Mainly because I volunteer on my only day off a week and now that both offspring have returned home from Uni, life has become rather hectic.

The problem is that the charity have had their funding cut and they have been unable to train any new volunteers this year and a recent e mail explained that they only have 14 active volunteers in our area at the moment, making feel that I should stay on. The coordinator has already mapped out what she wants me to do over the next few months and I can't bring myself to tell her that I don't want to do it any more!

 

Any advice re how to leave would be greatly appreciated. I've always been rubbish at saying NO and even though I am saying it in my head, I usually find the word YES popping out!

[patsylabrador]

This is my experience. It is difficult. I did cubs and scouts for ten years to the point where it was taking over, we have had a guide dog puppy which does take over and then helped run an over sixties club which gave me no pleasure at all. The pressure to carry on each of these was enormous but I told myself that I've done a bit and I can do more in the future if I choose but it's not an obligation, it's voluntary and right now I don't want to volunteer.

You have to steel yourself and be prepared for not being liked but I always manage to move on.

I have great admiration for people who run these things with such passion but sadly I'm not one of them. I like to do my bit and help but it always becomes more.

I'm always being told/asked to volunteer for things and I reply, yes, I will but I can't right now. If pushed I simply say, no thank you, I don't want to. There doesn't sometimes seem to be any other way.

Good luck. It isn't easy.

[gavclojak]

Why not give her maybe a months notice, tell her your happy to train a new volunteer during that time but your commitments have changed and it makes volunteering impossible. You really don't have to explain any further than that.

 

I am sure your co ordinator will be sorry to lose you but will understand.

 

If you are worried about doing it face to face then maybe write her a letter saying you feel so bad but you couldn't face telling her!!! What could she say to that?

[Purplemaniacs]

I think it is very difficult. I know in the archery club I find it very hard to say no. As someone said on Thursday when I mentioned I might not come to the shoot today as I am not shooting well at the moment. They said you must come who else would run it and then added you are the Bowmen of ....... without you where would the club be. Although I don't think any organisation is one person, if I suddenly stopped they would struggle as I take on the jobs no one wants to do and more.

 

I think you need to arrange to meet the coordinator and explain that circumstances at home have changed and that you can no longer volunteer on your one day off and be firm about. Decide before hand when you want to finish and if you want to help train someone else and the time scale of that.

 

Good luck.

 

Chrissie

 

[Lavenders_Blue]

I work in a job where I have to manage volunteers as part of my role.

 

I accept that it's not something people will want to do forever and that at some time they will probably all want to move on, for whatever reasons.

 

I'd say just tell your co-ordinator that you are going to leave. Be upfront and assertive about it (ie don't let yourself be talked into staying). I like the idea of giving say a month's notice. I've had volunteers do this with me and it does help. But it's your right to stop whenever you want, please don't feel obliged to stay!

[Charlottechicken]

I like the idea of giving notice.

 

I volunteer one morning a week in a charity shop and they are aware that I am soon moving out of the area, so will not be volunteering from that time. Also, If anything crops up and I need to be elsewhere on my usual morning I will swap days. It is easy to get caught up if they are short of volunteers, I've done extra hours, but the more you do it the more you will be put upon.

[Janepie33]

Thanks everyone. I will just think about what I want to say to the coordinator and stick to it!

[Olly]

I wish I had an answer, I am another one who finds it hard to say 'no'. It's particularly difficult if you fear that if you don't do it, the activity may have to stop altogether. Giving notice is a good idea. Volunteering is something you do in your spare time, and sometimes the hardest bit is recognising that you don't have 'spare' time to give any more.

 

I was once having my appraisal at work and my manager said at the end 'anything else that's bothering you' or words to that effect. On impulse I said 'yes, but it's not work' and talked about a particular charity I was involved in and not enjoying. He looked at me and said 'Just tell them you're leaving. You don't have to go on doing it'. It sounds very simple but I don't think I'd ever stopped to consider that - I'd just felt I couldn't step down. I left, and the world went on turning.

[Chickendoodle]

I know exactly how you feel. My daughters started Brownies and one week the leader asked me to give a bit of a hand. Before I knew it I was in uniform, I was treasurer and I was involved in everything.

 

Unfortunately after a year or so both my girls hated going but they had to carry in as I was committed to being there. So we were all somewhere we didn't want to be !The leader was quite a formidable person and I was scared of saying I didn't want to do it any more. The end came when she got promoted at work and the pack had to be disbanded.

 

I am much better at saying No now