When is a volunteer not a volunteer?

When s/he can't find anywhere that needs the help!

Rejection is not a word we associate with volunteering, but this is how a lot of 'would-be-volunteers' feel if their application is either deemed unsuitable or not even acknowledged.  The understandable reaction is often that of, "they don't even want me for free??!".  This negative experience can often put those people off volunteering for life - as with anything, first impressions are vital.

Of course, organisations cannot, and should not, simply offer a volunteering place to everybody who applies.  There are many instances when a simple and generous offer of 'lending a hand' is not enough - certain skills, experience and personal attributes are often vital.  However, when a volunteer is not suitable for one opportunity they may be suitable for another - either within the same organisation (albeit in a different department) or in another organisation.  If volunteers were more effectively sign-posted between opportunities, we would see a great deal fewer organisations struggling to attract them.  Furthermore, it would offer Volunteer Managers a much more positive way of 'letting applicants down gently' - by addressing the issue as being that of the opportunity not being right for the volunteer (rather than the volunteer not being right for the opportunity) and recommending other potential opportunities that may suit them better (or at least a source of information on other opportunities, such as the local Volunteer Centre or http://www.do-it.org/).

In Sheffield, as in many other areas, we need to let our 'unsuitable' volunteering applicants know that our being unable to accept them is not the end of the road.  Point them in the direction of Volunteer Centre Sheffield (use the very short re-referral form on the right hand side) or http://www.do-it.org/ so that they can volunteer somewhere else... and you never know, another organisation may do the same for you!

Volunteer Centre Sheffield can be contacted as follows:

The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane

Sheffield S1 4FW

Tel: 0114 2536649

Email: vc@vas.org.uk