Re: Paying to Volunteer
(no name) ((no email))
Sun, 12 May 1996 11:44:28 -0700
Paying to Volunteer, hummmmm ...
I guess it is all in your prespective. I have been scouting since eight years
of age.
As a youth I looked it as fun. Sure I liked the leadership, responbilities
I was given and I knew I was learning important skills, but it was still
FUN. I do different things now than was I was a youth and I have different
responsiblities, leaership opportunities, but the bottom line, this is
still FUN! It is a hobby to me, and I expect to spend money on my hobbies.
In the process I sitll get to try out skills that I might not have an
opportunity to work on at work. Now, if I went to some silly seminar to
supposely learn the same training or speaking skills, I would not get the
same level of pratice and it would cost me $100-$500 a day. With scouting,
I pay for my food, maybe a little more and all I have to do is my best.
Most people appreicate that and I get the benefit of that experience at
bargain price. Sure I may not have some serminar groups silly certificate
saying I completed their course which may or may not mean much depending
how recognized their course is. But I have somethime better, actual,
on-hands experience!
I guess what I am trying to say, sure you are paying to volunteer your time
to help with the training course, but what are you getting out of that
course. Probably more than the students and on top of that, who you are
today is different because of the experiences you had helping out on these
training courses. I am willing to bet you are more self confident, more
willing to speak in front of people and most certainly more skilled in the
area you are training. You are a better person for these expericnes and I
bet these improvements show and are the type skills most any good employer
would be looking for in an employee. I have never taught a Red Cross Water
Safety Class without learning sometime from my students. Teaching is one
of the best ways to learn something.
I think, if most people would stop and really think what they get (or can
get) out of scouting and the price they are paying for this, then look at
what training companies charge for training, they would realize what a
bargain they are getting. If you are like me, then you will also realize
that you are having FUN in the process (hey I tend to fall asleep during
day long seminar things - too dry).
No, I do not do pitches for Friends of Scouting, but this is one of many
reasons I have been giving when I can and the amounts I give have been
increasing in recent years even though both my Boys are grown up (but I do
have a grandson getting close to Triger Cub age.) But friends of Scouting
is drop in the bucket if I were to sit down and figure out what I spend on
Scouting. I do not bother, since I am not a home owner and itemization on
my taxes is not realistic without the mortage interest deduction. This
means what I spend on Scouting is not even deductable, but I keep doing it.
What you get out of any program really depends on what you put into it. By
volunteering to train people you are putting a lot into scouting, you
should be getting a lot back out of it.
Sorry to be so long, but too often we tend to look only at things like the
Dollar amount without realizing the long term implications of what we are
doing and the return we could be getting out of those few dollars (most
which would be spend on food anyway). The real cost I feel, for most of us
is time, not money. If I needed , I mean really needed more money, I could
get a higher paying job (I have had offers) or increase the time I spend
with my part time consulting business. The opportunties to get the money
are out there. What I cannot get back is time.
Chris Haggerty, Sierra Vista, Arizona
Catalina Council (and Cochise District) Advancement Chairman
Instructor Trainer for Water Safety, American Red Cross, Ft Huachuca Station
INTERNET: CHAGGERTY@BPA.ARIZONA.EDU Bitnet: CHAGGERTY@ARIZBPA.BITNET
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
