Big Society's Big Mouth Powered by v

But even for a volunteer there are costs involved in taking someone on.

For example, I don't believe volunteers should have to pay to help out - therefore we refund them travelling expenses and make sure we provide dinner when they help us all afternoon and evening at one of our ceilidhs. It's only the time they should give for free.

Internships you get something tangible back from - not just that warm feeling inside, but something concrete to go on your CV, a reference, particular training, etc. I agree, I would hate to have to work full time in London without being paid, but I also understand why people do it.

My own sister is currently doing an internship with the BBC (her second one). I know organisations like this will keep you as a free intern as long as possible, and even once you're employed (if you're lucky) you're on a short term contract, low wages, etc. In this scenario, even if your contract is renewed you get no more rights, as you're seen as a new employee again, rather than totting up the time you've been there.

Life at the bottom sucks in general I think. But if you're discovering new and exciting things, is it worth it? Read less

Controversial. The key point for me is that there are very different connotations associated with the word 'volunteer' compared to 'intern'. An internship is seen as an indirect path to employment, or at the very least upskilling for the intern to boost employability. The focus in on benefitting the intern. Of course the reality can be very different and there is a lot of grey areas in both public and private sector internships.

Volunteering, on the other hand, is seen as more - well for lack of a better word - 'selfless' ... the focus is far more on providing the volunteer with a rounded perspective of the organisation and 'fun' tasks, because they are not being paid.

In reality, internships and volunteering are two very different creatures ... but either way I feel the volunteer/intern should think very seriously before undertaking the activity if it is at a financial cost to themselves.  Read less

That's a really clear way of putting it. I agree.

We often have problems encouraging volunteers to do things that we can't afford to pay staff to do (eg, stuffing envelopes) - they often want more responsibility - which boils down to more power and therefore more interesting tasks.

But to what extent should a volunteer have a say in what they are doing if they are being 'selfless'?

You'll find that most volunteers have a motive for being there: it might be to feel good about giving their time to charity (in which case envelope stuffing is ok, if unfulfilling), or it might be to meet other volunteers (in which case envelope stuffing might be an ideal opportunity), or it might be to try new things, get to know service-users, or something else, for which envelope stuffing is no substitute!

If volunteering is like a 'selfless' internship, perhaps we need more categories - volunteering for work experience, volunteering socially, volunteering to help an organisation, or volunteering to help end-users.... Read less