Work vs Volunteer

[Unveiled Artist]

I currently volunteer for almost 20 years and have worked 3 years so far. I love to volunteer the most. Why? Working tells me I am worth the amount of salary I recieve. Volunteering shows me I am worth more than my salary. I am valued and respected for my skills, education, and wanting to help others without reservation.

Why is volunteering seen as less important in the states?

At work, I only do something when there is an emergency or I need to call matinence.

I used to volunteer at the US Capitol before I almost lost my sight. We stand for hours directing tourists and meetings and mail runs.

As a volunteer ESL teacher now (eyes are better), I write lesson plans, teach at the most 25 adult students a semester, different levels, and different goals. I have to attend teachers meetings when I have the ability to go. And so forth. It isnt easy. Its work.

I have been sick in class because of some of the stress but I keep going because I what I said above. If I could work, Id still volunteer as well. At least I know what I do wont be assessed by money value but by who I am and how I help others.

Why are volunteers seen less than people who earn money?

When I come to work, sometimes I feel like a slave. When I volunteer, I feel like a human being.

 

[Wirey]

I coach kids sports, and I used to help adults learn to read until my work got too crazy. I agree, volunteering doesn't just make you feel better, it improves your community.

 

[SpeaksForTheTrees]

I currently volunteer for almost 20 years and have worked 3 years so far. I love to volunteer the most. Why? Working tells me I am worth the amount of salary I recieve. Volunteering shows me I am worth more than my salary. I am valued and respected for my skills, education, and wanting to help others without reservation.

Why is volunteering seen as less important in the states?

At work, I only do something when there is an emergency or I need to call matinence.

I used to volunteer at the US Capitol before I almost lost my sight. We stand for hours directing tourists and meetings and mail runs.

As a volunteer ESL teacher now (eyes are better), I write lesson plans, teach at the most 25 adult students a semester, different levels, and different goals. I have to attend teachers meetings when I have the ability to go. And so forth. It isnt easy. Its work.

I have been sick in class because of some of the stress but I keep going because I what I said above. If I could work, Id still volunteer as well. At least I know what I do wont be assessed by money value but by who I am and how I help others.

Why are volunteers seen less than people who earn money?

When I come to work, sometimes I feel like a slave. When I volunteer, I feel like a human being.

You have wealthy family ? Most of us must work to pay the liabilities is only later in life when one has a paid for base that they can volunteer for activities that fall outside of special interest .
I would like to volunteer for lots of things overseas however who will pay my liabilities while I'm away .
I give to charity , had lots of time on my hands these last forty days , however to volunteer for 40 days contemplation has a real cost of thousands .
Yes I would like to volunteer but worried I would return to nothing becoming a victim myself.
Once I'm clear of victim myself , then I can volunteer for things that are not special interest .
I admire you

 

[Unveiled Artist]

You have wealthy family ? Most of us must work to pay the liabilities is only later in life when one has a paid for base that they can volunteer for activities that fall outside of special interest .
I would like to volunteer for lots of things overseas however who will pay my liabilities while I'm away .
I give to charity , had lots of time on my hands these last forty days , however to volunteer for 40 days contemplation has a real cost of thousands .
Yes I would like to volunteer but worried I would return to nothing becoming a victim myself.
Once I'm clear of victim myself , then I can volunteer for things that are not special interest .
I admire you

I volunteer because I have a chronic life long disability. I am depended on the goverment. I cant make over X amount a year or Id loose my home, my meds, my life.

I WANT to work but it makes me feel like Im worth as much as I make. If I got paid without my knowing it, then the placebo will pay my bills.

But you kinda proved my point. We work because we have to. Volunteers work to some even more than paid people because we want to. It has nothing to do with supporting a family and paying bills. Many volunteers work full time (no children). Its about how people value you and how you value yourself.

Slaves have to work to take care of their family and master. Thats well meaning. Im sure people who want to work for their family dont want to at the expense of feeling as if they are the money they earn.

I cant change life just thats how I feel, an employed slave.

 

[Revoltingest]

I cant change life just thats how I feel, an employed slave.

I see 2 options:
1) The job doesn't suit you (either the people, the pay, or the work).
You'd benefit from a different job.
2) An appreciation for your freedom to stay or leave would be worth keeping in mind.
When I switched from being a permanent employee (at a series of jobs) to a contract worker (temporary), I found this impermanence liberating.
I also found my focus changing from having a job at a company, to serving a client by completing a project.

The above wouldn't work for everyone.
But perhaps there's something useful in there.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I see 2 options:
1) The job doesn't suit you (either the people, the pay, or the work).
You'd benefit from a different job.
2) An appreciation for your freedom to stay or leave would be worth keeping in mind.
When I switched from being a permanent employee (at a series of jobs) to a contract worker (temporary), I found this impermanence liberating.
I also found my focus changing from having a job at a company, to serving a client by completing a project.

The above wouldn't work for everyone.
But perhaps there's something useful in there.

I appreciate it. Getting paid for a job I enjoy makes me feel like Im cheated out of something. Plus, this job is also the place I live. I cant work part time, so they are working with my hours so my rent wont increase drastically. Im on call and every two weeks. I do more work on holidays since I dont take off.

I cant chance loosing my place to get a job I enjoy but feel icky for getting paid for it. My friend called me weird cause I told her I dont like money.

If we didnt need money, would people still want to have it? And why?

 

[Revoltingest]

I appreciate it. Getting paid for a job I enjoy makes me feel like Im cheated out of something. Plus, this job is also the place I live. I cant work part time, so they are working with my hours so my rent wont increase drastically. Im on call and every two weeks. I do more work on holidays since I dont take off.
I cant chance loosing my place to get a job I enjoy but feel icky for getting paid for it. My friend called me weird cause I told her I dont like money.

Perhaps it's not money you dislike....it's the obligations which cause the need for money, & then not having enuf of it.

If we didnt need money, would people still want to have it? And why?

Much of it is not about need.
Money buys things we want..

 

[SpeaksForTheTrees]

I volunteer because I have a chronic life long disability. I am depended on the goverment. I cant make over X amount a year or Id loose my home, my meds, my life.

I WANT to work but it makes me feel like Im worth as much as I make. If I got paid without my knowing it, then the placebo will pay my bills.

But you kinda proved my point. We work because we have to. Volunteers work to some even more than paid people because we want to. It has nothing to do with supporting a family and paying bills. Many volunteers work full time (no children). Its about how people value you and how you value yourself.

Slaves have to work to take care of their family and master. Thats well meaning. Im sure people who want to work for their family dont want to at the expense of feeling as if they are the money they earn.

I cant change life just thats how I feel, an employed slave.

Well then I admire you even more , if state helps you with money is kind you donate your time to others .
I don't look at life as being worth as much as I can make , existance is expensive in the UK , being able bodied if I didn't make my own way would end up living in cardboard in the city .

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Perhaps it's not money you dislike....it's the obligations which cause the need for money, & then not having enuf of it.

I wish that were true. Since its general debates, I guess I'll disagree.

We are taught that we should love money because it is collateral for things we want or need. I wasnt taught wealth is in family and community. You have people who starve to give a stranger one last meal. I dont see that in the states.

Im not young and obligations are towards my health and education. Work is not the only thing that prooves others we can handle obligations. Thats another cultural thing. I made a choice to help individuals with their education. I have the obligation to "do" as I say. They do fire volunteers.

I dont mind the work I have because I dont do much and, because I dont, I dont have seizures. Its tiresome because I cant sleep. Im watch our housing property.

The idea of getting paid is like getting a million dollars because I lifted a finger.

I was at toastmasters (speech organization) and they asked me "if someone gave you a million, what would you do with it?" My automatic reaction was to give it to my friend. He needs it a heck a lot more than me.

Why should I keep that money?
Why do I want more work to show people I can do things I dont need to do because of illness?
What is special about earning a paycheck as a reward for your work? (If reality) why not something that is more worthy of who you are as a person?
Maybe the work you do lets you be home with your family in safety.
Maybe you work for god so he can keep you and your family safe.

Money doesnt figure into my identity. Why should I like it when it doesnt make me, me.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Well then I admire you even more , if state helps you with money is kind you donate your time to others .
I don't look at life as being worth as much as I can make , existance is expensive in the UK , being able bodied if I didn't make my own way would end up living in cardboard in the city .

Would you still want money if you worked for it without needing it to pay your bills etc?

Would you work if the money they paid you, you dont need?

Its way expensive in the US too. Most who volunteer where Im at are retired or cant work for whatever reason. They look at me ans think "if you can do this, why cant you do that?" Its not the obligations, as so said in another post nor the labor, its our government system. They feel if you make more than X amount, you arent disabled anymore. Id have to be legally blind and perminatelly handicapped to get more freedom to work. Its a catch-22.

Believe me, Id work if I could. Its just me and if I could drive, Id get a scooter and live somewhere remote. For now, Im getting tax payers money. Doesnt make me feel any better on one side but I need it, so its not going to waste.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I currently volunteer for almost 20 years and have worked 3 years so far. I love to volunteer the most. Why? Working tells me I am worth the amount of salary I recieve. Volunteering shows me I am worth more than my salary. I am valued and respected for my skills, education, and wanting to help others without reservation.

Why is volunteering seen as less important in the states?

I've done volunteer work where I've felt very highly valued. I've also done paid work where I felt valued well beyond just my salary.

... but you do remind me of something that left a bad taste in my mouth as a volunteer. I think I've mentioned before that I'm a race marshal. Except for circle track racing, the marshals are entirely volunteer. Even at a Formula 1 race, all the people waving flags around the track are unpaid... and probably paid a fair bit of money for travel and accommodations to be there.

A few years back, I was marshalling at the Toronto Indy. I was CapCom (captain and communicator) on my corner. My marshals were all on the other side of the track from me, and we communicated by hand signal. This meant that I was on the headset all day for three days straight.

I had realized before this that the headsets they provided weren't rated for hearing protection. They were actually the sort that the crew in a TV studio or theatre would use. I wore an earplug under my headset in the ear facing the track, but I couldn't wear one in the other ear, because I had to be able to hear race control.

My corner was LOUD. I was literally a few feet from the racing line, and my corner was right before a long straight, so the cars were right on the gas when they came by. After 3 days of this, I had a noticeable difference in the hearing in my two ears.

After the race, I went to the senior marshals with my concerns and suggested that we needed hearing protective headsets for the future. I got resistance from them, and they pointed out that the Occupational Health & Safety Act doesn't apply to unpaid volunteers. As far as I know, they're still using the same crappy headsets.

I've refused to go back to the Toronto Indy since.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I've done volunteer work where I've felt very highly valued. I've also done paid work where I felt valued well beyond just my salary.

... but you do remind me of something that left a bad taste in my mouth as a volunteer. I think I've mentioned before that I'm a race marshal. Except for circle track racing, the marshals are entirely volunteer. Even at a Formula 1 race, all the people waving flags around the track are unpaid... and probably paid a fair bit of money for travel and accommodations to be there.

A few years back, I was marshalling at the Toronto Indy. I was CapCom (captain and communicator) on my corner. My marshals were all on the other side of the track from me, and we communicated by hand signal. This meant that I was on the headset all day for three days straight.

I had realized before this that the headsets they provided weren't rated for hearing protection. They were actually the sort that the crew in a TV studio or theatre would use. I wore an earplug under my headset in the ear facing the track, but I couldn't wear one in the other ear, because I had to be able to hear race control.

My corner was LOUD. I was literally a few feet from the racing line, and my corner was right before a long straight, so the cars were right on the gas when they came by. After 3 days of this, I had a noticeable difference in the hearing in my two ears.

After the race, I went to the senior marshals with my concerns and suggested that we needed hearing protective headsets for the future. I got resistance from them, and they pointed out that the Occupational Health & Safety Act doesn't apply to unpaid volunteers. As far as I know, they're still using the same crappy headsets.

I've refused to go back to the Toronto Indy since.

Gosh. Wow. That sounds like a law suit. Just as teachers here (though not a health concern) do the same as public school teachers in adult education but we arent required to have a teaching license. They git a pass given its through the church and we couldnt work over a certain amount of hours to be considered employed yet we have vol. they let work all week. But thats more of the organization issue.

What youre saying sounds like they could be suied some day. I mean, in the Capitol, we all had the same background check as staff but staff doesnt see us as real employers and half the vol are older and more experienced in fed government than the trainees and newbies that come in.

But, Id admit, they have more work then we do. Though standing on marble for four hours without being allowed to wear tennis shoes kinda sc. Cant imagine the security who stand for 12. To get paid, I need more experience, memory, and be at least a grade 10, I think depending if youre working im the senate office our tourist guide.

I stoped working there not just because of eyes and not seeing faces but the political discrimination between vol. staff, delegates, and senators...all feel more important than the other either by title or experience. Hot heated.

 

[Covellite]

When I come to work, sometimes I feel like a slave. When I volunteer, I feel like a human being.

Mostly, people work to earn enough money so they can live a life style of there's choice. But, it's simple trade. I give you this, you give me that... nothing more, and it's okay.
Volunteers are usually idealistic, they want to give more then they receive. I really admire all sorts of voluntary workers, and all those people are simply adoring!

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Mostly, people work to earn enough money so they can live a life style of there's choice. But, it's simple trade. I give you this, you give me that... nothing more, and it's okay.
Volunteers are usually idealistic, they want to give more then they receive. I really admire all sorts of voluntary workers, and all those people are simply adoring!

Thats understandable. Philosophizing here, do you think that the trade would be more valuable if we were given what we worked for without a middle man?

I mean, in the US Im sure we arent going back to selling chickens and live stock for property etc. Then again, that made more sense than money.

 

[AnnaCzereda]

When I come to work, sometimes I feel like a slave. When I volunteer, I feel like a human being.

It's very simple really. When you have a job, you are expected to do what you are paid for. Your employer doesn't have to express gratitude for your work because he pays you for it. He's not so much dependent on your work as you are dependent on the money he pays you. If you go away, he will find another person to replace you. Nobody wants to stay unemployed so there will be plenty of people ready to take the job you gave up. Unless you're a highly skilled professional at something not many people are skilled in, you are expendable. Sad but true.

However if you work as a volunteer, the charity you work for is in debt to you therefore you're more likely to be appreciated for what you do. Since they don't pay you, they can only reward you with their gratitude. You are not dependent on them, they depend on you. You can quit at any time and it's not that easy to find someone who will agree and will be motivated to work for free.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

It's very simple really. When you have a job, you are expected to do what you are paid for. Your employer doesn't have to express gratitude for your work because he pays you for it. He's not so much dependent on your work as you are dependent on the money he pays you. If you go away, he will find another person to replace you. Nobody wants to stay unemployed so there will be plenty of people ready to take the job you gave up. Unless you're a highly skilled professional at something not many people are skilled in, you are expendable. Sad but true.

However if you work as a volunteer, the charity you work for is in debt to you therefore you're more likely to be appreciated for what you do. Since they don't pay you, they can only reward you with their gratitude. You are not dependent on them, they depend on you. You can quit at any time and it's not that easy to find someone who will agree and will be motivated to work for free.

How is work seen better other than to pay bills? Does work define someone's identity more than if they worked for free? If so, why and how?

 

[El Conquistador]

If all you get out of work is being able to pay the bills, then you're not doing it right.

Volunteer work is easy, because there is no accountability. If you do the job great, you get a pat on the back. If you hose it up entirely, then you come back the next day for the chance to hose it up again.

 

[AnnaCzereda]

How is work seen better other than to pay bills? Does work define someone's identity more than if they worked for free? If so, why and how?

Yes people work to pay the bills. However, there might be some other perks about your job that you can actually enjoy. It's often the matter of attitude. Insecure people or those who complain all the time won't feel well in any place. Just like the grumpy teacher I used to have. She got fed up with teaching and was really happy when she found another job. After some time when I met her, she wasn't happier at all.

The work you do doesn't or, at least shouldn't, define your identity or worth. You can change jobs, you are not your job. Some people doing the work below their level of skills feel humiliated as if it was some sort of personal disgrace. It's stupid.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Yes people work to pay the bills. However, there might be some other perks about your job that you can actually enjoy. It's often the matter of attitude. Insecure people or those who complain all the time won't feel well in any place. Just like the grumpy teacher I used to have. She got fed up with teaching and was really happy when she found another job. After some time when I met her, she wasn't happier at all.

The work you do doesn't or, at least shouldn't, define your identity or worth. You can change jobs, you are not your job. Some people doing the work below their level of skills feel humiliated as if it was some sort of personal disgrace. It's stupid.

I see where you come from. I would probably have to work in the later part of my life (doing it backwards) since Im well supported now. I teach and I love it. If I got paid all o the sudden after three years of teaching, Id feel off. Mind you, I still love my job. It does define me because the people I work with and my students value you me for my skills, education, and respect me for who I am--the key: without reservation. I dont feel like I must teach. Thats the value of charity. You give what you wantn ot what you are expected to even if you dont want to and even more so, get paid as if to say "here you go. here's a treat for doing your trick."

Dont get me wrong, if someone paid me for teaching, teaching would still define me as how I see m relationship with students and staff and visa versa. Once money is involved, the tables seem to turn. Its not based on generosity as much more than its depended on services for money. Paying bills is fine. It shouldnt be the key of why we are at a job we enjoy. In my opinion, money shouldnt be a part of it though I cant change that.

One of those things. Money isnt the center of the world.We make it that way to survive and it isnt our identity. So when we say "I just bought anice car. I have a better paying job," That doesnt mean much outwardly. It sounds more "I got more money to please myself. I value who I am based on the job I get." Foriegners here value their positions because to many who told me it is so much better than their country and they appreciate the money they receive to give to their families. I like that. I still have the same views with them; just, I dont see that type of perspective in many American staff who feel they work better positions based on pay not on what they do for their company and what they company should do for them.




Id have to think a minute more how to summarize this. Just basically saying I understand where you come from. My volunteering is part of my identity. My paid job isnt. Id feel like I was cheated if I were paid to teach since the money would change the relationship I have with the staff and students. If I volunteered for my paid job, Id feel like I was cheated given I didnt come in to sit all day and do nothing for nothing. I had an expectation of pay. If I could live off of volunteering, Id just do that. Not specifically because of the money but because Im respected more for who I am when money isnt the center of keeping everyone happy.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

@anakokoanayala

Sorry, didnt mean to make the repy that long. After the little green flower is basically my reply.