The Top Seven Reasons Volunteers Quit

[audreyh1]

The board I work with:

Chairman: Thinks schmoozing is leadership, not completely honest, no financial acumen at all. His ideas make no financial sense at all! His latest push will bankrupt the club, but he'll never pull together the financing and ***. I think he's chair because it sounds good on his resume/at cocktail parties.
Director 1: Popular narcissist (the most confounding member), both helps and actively undermines the group. Subject of another thread...
Director 2: The hardest working, tireless, but hopelessly disorganized. Manages to get things together at the last minute - and wonders why events take so much effort (I help thus guy as much as can, but he's hugs own worst enemy).
Director 3: Always upbeat, volunteers for everything (along with his SO), keeps the books, but no leadership qualities - must be led. Can't differentiate between what appeals to him (sometimes out in left field) vs what would appeal to members at large.
Director 4: Former chairman. Burned out (gave up chair), his sole contribution is to tell others how things were 30-40 years ago, and shoot down new ideas, well intended but serves no purpose IMO.
Director 5: Legal/retired attorney, much like #3.
Other 2 directors: no influence whatsoever

*** other common denominators,

• every member all proudly technically hopeless - PC, Internet, social media, etc.
• not one of the board could do a simple cash flow analysis/business plan to save their lives.

A volunteer attorney-embezzler almost destroyed the club almost 10 years ago, members (understandably) quit in droves. Membership is about 20% of it's prime 30 years ago. I am not sure anyone could bring the club back to it's former "self."

Volunteer attorney-embezzler? That sounds like a juicy story!

Sorry you're saddled with such a sorry team.

 

[clifp]

Many volunteer activities are mind numbing & you can only do so much of that. I have volunteered with various places but after a while quit. The longest lasted for 3 years. A year ago a home opened to provide pregnant teens with a place to live, help them graduate HS, etc. So I decide to offer my professional services for free because it is just what they need. Nope, I am expected to choose one of the predetermined training/tasks that they designate. Are you kidding me? I never even started with them.

It is both encouraging and depressing to read this thread. Encouraging because I constantly hear all this heartwarming stories and PSA about volunteering. I was wondering if I was just being a grumpy almost old man because it is been a relatively rare experience for me. it is obvious that for most of us reality is far different and my experience are pretty typical.

Depressing because most of the things on reason volunteers quit list aren't that hard to fix.

 

[FreeBear]

Wow! Seems like bad volunteer gigs are as common as bad paid j*bs. Perhaps not surprisingly, the reasons seem similar, at least in a general sense. Lots of nonsense & politics. The craziness of the few can overwhelm and discourage the efforts of the many.

 

[Greathusky74]

I FIREd on July 10th and immediately volunteered at two local animal shelters walking dogs for about 2-3 hours a day. It has been great exercise and the dogs love it.

 

[Lsbcal]

Enjoyed reading this thread. I tried to volunteer twice. Both times they could not get a good set of fingerprints. One for helping out at schools, another for senior citizens. Took it as a sign to stop looking.

I admire and respect those who do volunteer.