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Suggest You - Volunteer Management: Grievance and Complaints
Our countries growth and expansion of urban and suburban areas has created a unique opportunity for wildlife managers. Our wildlife is slowly losing their natural habitat to this growth and many species adapt very well to their new suburban and urban surroundings. It's when nature gets too close that problems arise. Our profession, the Nuisance Wildlife Management Professionals, who primarily resolve those human/wildlife conflicts through a variety of means.It's 5:00am and you hear something running inside your attic. Your first thoughts are "Is it a mouse, a squirrel or a raccoon? What am I going to do? Who am I going to call?" This is a common dilemma that our clients find themselves in.Certain species of wildlife can be a real nuisance for homeowners. Squirrels can gain entry into attic spaces and chew electrical wiring. Raccoons will climb down chimneys and raise their young inside. Skunks may find the area under your front porch a suitable habitat in which to live. There is nothing like stepping out on your front porch and discovering many baby skunks milling about!Wildlife left to live in these areas can cause extensive damage to the home and also create a dangerous place to live. When animals chew on electrical wiring in attics a real fire hazard is created. Diseases are also a concern when dealing with wildlife. For example, distemper can be spread to an un-vaccinated family pet. Rabies can also be spread to un-vaccinated pets and even people if a bite occurs. An accumulation of droppings from pigeons or bats roosting in an attic can carry diseases such as histoplasmosis.What can you as a homeowner do to help prevent wildlife from damaging their home?Prevention is the key to effectively controlling a wildlife conflict. Have your roof checked for easy access points. Have your chimney inspected and install an approved chimney cap. Make sure to have a qualified wildlife expert ensure there are no animals in the roof, attic, or chimney before you repair these areas.Check your porches and decks for holes dug under them. If you find a hole, have a qualified wildlife expert check it out to be sure there is not something living under that porch.Also look for damage to the roof or siding of your home. Look for torn attic vent screens or animal tracks and scratch marks going up the siding or gutter downspouts.There are many animals that can enter a
Indeed, at that initial (informal) stage, the details of implementation weren’t important enough to warrant any real consideration which, sadly, means that Meg/Sheila could argue that they ‘didn’t know they needed to know anything else’ thus due to their limited understanding, they feel no committee consultation was required.
I don’t think this works in practise, ignorance should not be a reasonable defence, assuming they generally didn’t believe there would be any problems, should volunters be able to act unilaterally?
I think Meg/Sheila could argue that, ‘You unilaterally put up the WVF signs without committee consultation, this is no different’.
In the first instance these are temporary signs, erected correctly, by a trained volunteer and not subject to the same requirements. But more to the point, they were erected as part of an overall strategy which was agreed at committee level, where as the question of a perment Museum sign was not.
The question now, which Meg/Sheila could argue is about where we draw the boundary between normal (day-to-day) operations which don’t require committee consultation and what things do?
I think anything that someone should reasonably suspect could effect the running/operation of the museum MUST be subject to committee consultation, except to the extent where preexisting general authority has been given - was this ever done for Meg and Sheila?
If so how can they support/justerfy someone who has responsibilit
Everywhere around logos, designs and art shows up and comes out of the woodwork using a modernized version of an older technology. Screen printing is a helpful way to expose a company name and/or logo to the public. Screen printing originally started out using silk as a medium but has since moved on to using stretched porous, finely woven nylon or polyester fabrics, with carefully stenciled designs, and delightful creations take form and come to life. From many of Andy Warhol’s famous works to such commonly used items as T-shirts and hats the practice of stretching a fabric and laying out a non-permeable material to cover areas of the fabric to be unaffected by dyes has created influential and marketable works of art. This inexpensive form of advertising creates a wide range of possibilities for a company to establish itself in the market, or for an already established company to gain great recognition.With a great flexibility and range of uses across different platforms and materials, screen printing has become a widely accepted form of pseudo-media. With uses varying from textiles, ceramics, metal, wood, paper, glass, and plastic, there is not much screen printing cannot accomplish. It remains apparent that screen printing is evident in all walks of life. It is impossible to walk down the street and not see hundreds of screen printed items on a daily basis. Everything from soda bottles, to T-shirts, to coffee cups, and cars are all screen printed. With such a wide array of uses, screen printing also has many different techniques for being accomplished.The most common for of screen printing is known as photographic emulsion. Simply put, photographic emulsion is a process whereby a photosensitive substance is hardened and subjected to ultraviolet light, using the desired stenciled design, the monochromatic design is transferred onto the vehicle such as the ones listed above (textiles, ceramics, metal, wood, paper, glass, and plastic).The process is completed by rinsing away the excess emulsion that was not hardened by the light in either water, or solvent. In the end, it leaves only the desired screen printed image on the medium. Screen printing has grown into great popularity to brand our everyday household items, and familiarize us with famous commercial brands as well.Every time we put on a T-shirt or use a coffee mug, we are using a product of screen printing, which has brought
I do not wish to continue the proscribed process as outlined in the action points of the last committee meeting regarding my grievance with Meg. It seems obvious that with Meg’s abject refusal to even attempt to redress the problem that any process will fail to effect change without putting the museum directly into a potentially destructive process.
Please find the attached document ‘Complaints.rtf’, which outlines the processes that are notionally in use, I must stress that this is a draft, and should not be considered anything more than my personal notes on the problem. Please circulate as appropriate.
Because there has not been a coherent effort to document this, until now, what has not been noticed is that this is a system which requires command and control structures that don’t, and can’t, exist within a totally voluntary organisation. This power vacuum is a natural consequence of the fact that, increasingly, we are all volunteers, thus among other inconsistencies, the required level of perceived authority to execute this style of system where one volunteer has to exert speculative control over others does not exist. This can be seen in the question of ' which hat am I wairing' and the confusion generated where direct reporting and operational lines are combined into one person with two 'hats'.
To extend the argument, I think since a hierarchical system is failing to manage with grievance and complaints, the idea of a more communal arrangement is worth some consideration, ie there have been two complaints recently, incidentally both of which can be directly linked to Meg’s interference.
In this communal environment, if a complaint can not be resolved informally, it passes to a ‘committee of the whole house’ type meeting for all volunteers and management to ask the questions of all concerned and to vote on a consensual solution.
As a by product of this thinking, I would seriously recommend that management committee meetings be opened up to all volunteers, and the formal directors meetings reduced to the circulation of written reports, effectively reverting to a more passive entity, ie as things were before committee members were actively getting involved in operations.
I don’t want to teach people how to suck eggs, but my situation doesn’t give me much choice in the matter as I have a unique insight into the workings of the museum, and I would hate to think that this painful episode has not produced anything of benefit to anyone.
With kind regards,
----------
Dear committee,
It has been 3 weeks since the last committee meeting at which, as I understand the situation, Meg was ‘asked’ to informally make some ‘attempt’ at ‘resolving’ the ‘personal’ ‘issues’ between her and I. Please excuse the excessive use of quotation marks above, my feelings as to the failures of the past should be obvious - that is not important as we look to the future, continuing in the same way. Nothing happened, or even looks like progress, I don't know what to do now, was hoping for some advice at the opening.
Well, I’ve gone out of my way to give Meg reasonable opportunities in which to start what ever process was indicated, including fixing her computer which had malfunctioned the day before the meeting, (heat retention damage to her most recent files) in fact while leaving, that same meeting, she asked my dad if he thought I would help her sort it out.
I sorted out the computer, said that if she had only being using MsWord, instead of Wordpad, she would not have lost her priory exhibition texts, I’ve even offered to help her learn how to use all the features of Word while helping to write her ‘reporting responsibilities’ document, that would have directly resolved’ the root of the original conflict.
The fact is that she only even talks to me when its convenient for her, ie when she needs something, before her computer issue I don’t think she has said more than 3 consecutive words to me since last October.
Even at the opening, there were times when Meg just came over and started talking to whom ever was there, as if I didn’t exist, once while talking she moved from where she was standing so as to literally exclude me too.
Anyway, I believe Meg is not ignoring or just not trying but is actively not accepting any problem even existed, I can only assume she is having difficulty as an ex school teacher, but that’s no reason to hide her head in the sand. What sort of behaviour is this for an adult women? What sort of an example is this for the younger generation?
I think Meg wants all this to be forgotten, putdown to bad luck and then all will be right again, either that or she ‘believes’ that she has resolved the problems, maybe since I fixed her computer, it her mind, that counts somehow. :-)
Well indeed the memory and the emotion fades – but the understanding gained will not so easily, enlightenment itself does not – not completely. What does this teach me? It teaches me that I am who I was, and will always be, and so will Meg, she didn’t even write her final dissertation (she gave notes to her friend who organised and typed it up). Still I wonder about how it is that this terrible and terrifying thing called human society allows the truly stupid, reckless and dangerous to flourish.
So then logically, if I am to survive in this world, in the midst of this society, then I too can just go around floundering helplessly interfering with things I don’t understand, aimlessly not knowing or caring for the reason to do so; barking orders & acting unilaterally, just as long as I say what ever is politically convenient at that time so people think I’m actually competent!
With kind regards,
-------------------
Dear committee,
I see your version of the covering note section on your reasoning is ‘stronger’ than dads original.
I like it, as you imply that Meg/Sheila didn’t know there were other considerations, other than simply a matter of permission fromVestry Hall, and just because they didn’t think it would be a problem, that noone else would have anything important to say on the matter & it is not in anyone’s interest for this to continue.
The sad fact is that, there was debate at ' committee level ' (you may remember a 'committee' ad hoc meeting in our garden last year when I was present, let alone more formal ones where I was not) about the possibilities, including that of a permanent sign, however the point that once we have permission to mount such a sign, there MUST be committee consultation has been (conveniently) lost.
Indeed, at that initial (informal) stage, the details of implementation weren’t important enough to warrant any real consideration which, sadly, means that Meg/Sheila could argue that they ‘didn’t know they needed to know anything else’ thus due to their limited understanding, they feel no committee consultation was required.
I don’t think this works in practise, ignorance should not be a reasonable defence, assuming they generally didn’t believe there would be any problems, should volunters be able to act unilaterally?
I think Meg/Sheila could argue that, ‘You unilaterally put up the WVF signs without committee consultation, this is no different’.
In the first instance these are temporary signs, erected correctly, by a trained volunteer and not subject to the same requirements. But more to the point, they were erected as part of an overall strategy which was agreed at committee level, where as the question of a perment Museum sign was not.
The question now, which Meg/Sheila could argue is about where we draw the boundary between normal (day-to-day) operations which don’t require committee consultation and what things do?
I think anything that someone should reasonably suspect could effect the running/operation of the museum MUST be subject to committee consultation, except to the extent where preexisting general authority has been given - was this ever done for Meg and Sheila?
If so how can they support/justerfy someone who has responsibility
Once you’ve secured your new teaching job abroad, you’ll probably have several months to get yourself organized before taking up the post. Here are the top ten things you need to take with you when you move overseas. Read this now as some of these can take time to prepare properly!1. Passport (valid for at least the length of your contract) You may think this is an obvious one considering we’re talking about relocating your whole life to another country. Tell me, do you know when your passport expires? Mine expires in 2015.Depending on where you’re living, a new passport may take up to 6 months to get. It’s not wise to rely on the ‘estimated turn around’ time on the form as in the past both the UK and the USA have had extremely long delays in issuing new passports to their citizens. Of course, if you’re running short of time you can usually apply for an express service, at a ridiculously inflated cost.So, go now and check when your passport expires.It’s better for you to have a passport that’s valid for the length of your contract because it’s a real pain to have to get a new one issued from a consulate or embassy abroad. Trust me; I’ve had to do it!2. Original documents that prove who you are and what you knowGovernment departments don’t tend to accept copies of foreign identification or certification documents. Ensure that you take all your original documentation. If you don’t have it, then get it.It’s always good to keep a copy at home too, either with a family member, a lawyer or in a safety deposit box, so if you can, get duplicate originals. An extra set is insurance against theft, fire or natural disaster and makes good sense.You’ll need:* Birth certificate* Marriage certificate* Police clearance certificate* Degree certificates* Teacher certification* Recommendation letters3. Medical records and adequate supplies of medicationsAnyone in your family that has an ongoing medical condition should request a copy of their medical records. For your children you should have or get a copy of their vaccination record.Take at least a two month supply of your regular medications with you. This will give you adequate time to check out the medical services in your new country and register with a physician.<
In this communal environment, if a complaint can not be resolved informally, it passes to a ‘committee of the whole house’ type meeting for all volunteers and management to ask the questions of all concerned and to vote on a consensual solution.
As a by product of this thinking, I would seriously recommend that management committee meetings be opened up to all volunteers, and the formal directors meetings reduced to the circulation of written reports, effectively reverting to a more passive entity, ie as things were before committee members were actively getting involved in operations.
I don’t want to teach people how to suck eggs, but my situation doesn’t give me much choice in the matter as I have a unique insight into the workings of the museum, and I would hate to think that this painful episode has not produced anything of benefit to anyone.
With kind regards,
----------
Dear committee,
It has been 3 weeks since the last committee meeting at which, as I understand the situation, Meg was ‘asked’ to informally make some ‘attempt’ at ‘resolving’ the ‘personal’ ‘issues’ between her and I. Please excuse the excessive use of quotation marks above, my feelings as to the failures of the past should be obvious - that is not important as we look to the future, continuing in the same way. Nothing happened, or even looks like progress, I don't know what to do now, was hoping for some advice at the opening.
Well, I’ve gone out of my way to give Meg reasonable opportunities in which to start what ever process was indicated, including fixing her computer which had malfunctioned the day before the meeting, (heat retention damage to her most recent files) in fact while leaving, that same meeting, she asked my dad if he thought I would help her sort it out.
I sorted out the computer, said that if she had only being using MsWord, instead of Wordpad, she would not have lost her priory exhibition texts, I’ve even offered to help her learn how to use all the features of Word while helping to write her ‘reporting responsibilities’ document, that would have directly resolved’ the root of the original conflict.
The fact is that she only even talks to me when its convenient for her, ie when she needs something, before her computer issue I don’t think she has said more than 3 consecutive words to me since last October.
Even at the opening, there were times when Meg just came over and started talking to whom ever was there, as if I didn’t exist, once while talking she moved from where she was standing so as to literally exclude me too.
Anyway, I believe Meg is not ignoring or just not trying but is actively not accepting any problem even existed, I can only assume she is having difficulty as an ex school teacher, but that’s no reason to hide her head in the sand. What sort of behaviour is this for an adult women? What sort of an example is this for the younger generation?
I think Meg wants all this to be forgotten, putdown to bad luck and then all will be right again, either that or she ‘believes’ that she has resolved the problems, maybe since I fixed her computer, it her mind, that counts somehow. :-)
Well indeed the memory and the emotion fades – but the understanding gained will not so easily, enlightenment itself does not – not completely. What does this teach me? It teaches me that I am who I was, and will always be, and so will Meg, she didn’t even write her final dissertation (she gave notes to her friend who organised and typed it up). Still I wonder about how it is that this terrible and terrifying thing called human society allows the truly stupid, reckless and dangerous to flourish.
So then logically, if I am to survive in this world, in the midst of this society, then I too can just go around floundering helplessly interfering with things I don’t understand, aimlessly not knowing or caring for the reason to do so; barking orders & acting unilaterally, just as long as I say what ever is politically convenient at that time so people think I’m actually competent!
With kind regards,
-------------------
Dear committee,
I see your version of the covering note section on your reasoning is ‘stronger’ than dads original.
I like it, as you imply that Meg/Sheila didn’t know there were other considerations, other than simply a matter of permission fromVestry Hall, and just because they didn’t think it would be a problem, that noone else would have anything important to say on the matter & it is not in anyone’s interest for this to continue.
The sad fact is that, there was debate at ' committee level ' (you may remember a 'committee' ad hoc meeting in our garden last year when I was present, let alone more formal ones where I was not) about the possibilities, including that of a permanent sign, however the point that once we have permission to mount such a sign, there MUST be committee consultation has been (conveniently) lost.
Indeed, at that initial (informal) stage, the details of implementation weren’t important enough to warrant any real consideration which, sadly, means that Meg/Sheila could argue that they ‘didn’t know they needed to know anything else’ thus due to their limited understanding, they feel no committee consultation was required.
I don’t think this works in practise, ignorance should not be a reasonable defence, assuming they generally didn’t believe there would be any problems, should volunters be able to act unilaterally?
I think Meg/Sheila could argue that, ‘You unilaterally put up the WVF signs without committee consultation, this is no different’.
In the first instance these are temporary signs, erected correctly, by a trained volunteer and not subject to the same requirements. But more to the point, they were erected as part of an overall strategy which was agreed at committee level, where as the question of a perment Museum sign was not.
The question now, which Meg/Sheila could argue is about where we draw the boundary between normal (day-to-day) operations which don’t require committee consultation and what things do?
I think anything that someone should reasonably suspect could effect the running/operation of the museum MUST be subject to committee consultation, except to the extent where preexisting general authority has been given - was this ever done for Meg and Sheila?
If so how can they support/justerfy someone who has responsibilit
One day, in the distant future, someone with more money and time than I shall conduct an experiment on waitering staff across the planet.From Rio de Janeiro, where waiters peer over one’s shoulder studying the menu with morbid fascination; to London, where staff glare at you for rudely interrupting their analysis of who was sleeping with whom on Crossroads; to India, where wallahs bring you exactly what you didn’t order, cold and an hour later when you have already succumbed to starvation; to Cape Town, where servers glide effortlessly past you as you wave your arms about like the nearly drowned attracting a life-guard. Each a microcosm of business disregard for their patrons."I wonder if it’s on purpose?" I asked myself as I mopped up the water dammed behind piles of my clothes. The flooding was caused by a plumber who opened the main tap without first emptying the geyser. He built the dams to prevent the water escaping into the rest of my flat. Then he fled.It can’t be that every business owner embarks on a quest to make life unpleasant for their customers. Certainly there are those who despise their clients but most are genuinely shocked when you have had an unpleasant experience. Their complaint is usually that they did not know.This is wilful ignorance on the part of business owners. They are fully aware that clients are getting a shoddy deal but - for as long as clients don’t make a fuss - they are able to ignore the problem. People tend to avoid confrontation and business owners are happily capitalising on our fears.But businesses, at least, suffer the frequent indignity of having their crasser habits exposed in local newspapers or blogs. Development organisations can get away with even lower standards of care since their clients, on the whole, are desperate and uneducated (otherwise they wouldn’t be in need of charitable services) and hardly likely to complain. The donors don’t experience the service directly and have no idea what should be done either.In this organisations are doing themselves a disservice. It is not just that clients have no loyalty for their service providers. It is also that organisations are losing a wonderful opportunity for innovation and product development.Clients do know what they like and don’t like. When offered a reasonable choice they will switch to the service that offers them the most reward for the
I sorted out the computer, said that if she had only being using MsWord, instead of Wordpad, she would not have lost her priory exhibition texts, I’ve even offered to help her learn how to use all the features of Word while helping to write her ‘reporting responsibilities’ document, that would have directly resolved’ the root of the original conflict.
The fact is that she only even talks to me when its convenient for her, ie when she needs something, before her computer issue I don’t think she has said more than 3 consecutive words to me since last October.
Even at the opening, there were times when Meg just came over and started talking to whom ever was there, as if I didn’t exist, once while talking she moved from where she was standing so as to literally exclude me too.
Anyway, I believe Meg is not ignoring or just not trying but is actively not accepting any problem even existed, I can only assume she is having difficulty as an ex school teacher, but that’s no reason to hide her head in the sand. What sort of behaviour is this for an adult women? What sort of an example is this for the younger generation?
I think Meg wants all this to be forgotten, putdown to bad luck and then all will be right again, either that or she ‘believes’ that she has resolved the problems, maybe since I fixed her computer, it her mind, that counts somehow. :-)
Well indeed the memory and the emotion fades – but the understanding gained will not so easily, enlightenment itself does not – not completely. What does this teach me? It teaches me that I am who I was, and will always be, and so will Meg, she didn’t even write her final dissertation (she gave notes to her friend who organised and typed it up). Still I wonder about how it is that this terrible and terrifying thing called human society allows the truly stupid, reckless and dangerous to flourish.
So then logically, if I am to survive in this world, in the midst of this society, then I too can just go around floundering helplessly interfering with things I don’t understand, aimlessly not knowing or caring for the reason to do so; barking orders & acting unilaterally, just as long as I say what ever is politically convenient at that time so people think I’m actually competent!
With kind regards,
-------------------
Dear committee,
I see your version of the covering note section on your reasoning is ‘stronger’ than dads original.
I like it, as you imply that Meg/Sheila didn’t know there were other considerations, other than simply a matter of permission fromVestry Hall, and just because they didn’t think it would be a problem, that noone else would have anything important to say on the matter & it is not in anyone’s interest for this to continue.
The sad fact is that, there was debate at ' committee level ' (you may remember a 'committee' ad hoc meeting in our garden last year when I was present, let alone more formal ones where I was not) about the possibilities, including that of a permanent sign, however the point that once we have permission to mount such a sign, there MUST be committee consultation has been (conveniently) lost.
Indeed, at that initial (informal) stage, the details of implementation weren’t important enough to warrant any real consideration which, sadly, means that Meg/Sheila could argue that they ‘didn’t know they needed to know anything else’ thus due to their limited understanding, they feel no committee consultation was required.
I don’t think this works in practise, ignorance should not be a reasonable defence, assuming they generally didn’t believe there would be any problems, should volunters be able to act unilaterally?
I think Meg/Sheila could argue that, ‘You unilaterally put up the WVF signs without committee consultation, this is no different’.
In the first instance these are temporary signs, erected correctly, by a trained volunteer and not subject to the same requirements. But more to the point, they were erected as part of an overall strategy which was agreed at committee level, where as the question of a perment Museum sign was not.
The question now, which Meg/Sheila could argue is about where we draw the boundary between normal (day-to-day) operations which don’t require committee consultation and what things do?
I think anything that someone should reasonably suspect could effect the running/operation of the museum MUST be subject to committee consultation, except to the extent where preexisting general authority has been given - was this ever done for Meg and Sheila?
If so how can they support/justerfy someone who has responsibilit
You have a head spinning with business ideas but you encounter difficulties in financing? Or you have recently started your great potential business but are not yet turning profit? A fundamental aspect for your business, financing is usually the most frequent obstacle in starting a business. You have the option of resorting to a business incubator on condition that your business idea seems viable and promising. Now if you wonder how they are going to find out whether your idea is worth investing, the answer is a very sensible (and predictable) one: by analyzing your business plan.What are business incubators? How many types are there?A business incubator is a system offering support for start-up businesses or recently founded ones. The facilities it offers go from financing, inexpensive office space, various business services (such as secretarial assistance) to management advice and support. Their role is to produce viable, standalone companies at the end of the program they are included in. Also, the selection they perform works like a measurement unit for the viability of the applicant business and gives entrepreneurs a chance to re-think their business strategy. The success rate of businesses created by incubators is of around 85%.There are two categories of incubator sponsors: profit and non-profit.* Non-profit entities are supported by the state or a local government directly, through a college or university, or in conjunction with a chamber of commerce. Such incubators have been used to achieve social and economical objectives as decreasing the unemployment rate, increasing the enterprise formation rate, social assistance for disadvantaged groups - youth, minorities, enhancing regional economy etc.* Private companies are generally looking to make a profit. Applying for a program of such incubators should be highly questionable and a matter for thorough analysis, as it may involve long-term hindering agreements, or sharing a percentage of 20 to 80 of the company ownership and it just may not be worth it.Who may apply and what are the conditions?Any entrepreneur may apply for entering an incubator program on condition that his business project is viable or his business has great potential. An necessary condition is that the applicant must have a business plan containing relevant information.otion fades – but the understanding gained will not so easily, enlightenment itself does not – not completely. What does this teach me? It teaches me that I am who I was, and will always be, and so will Meg, she didn’t even write her final dissertation (she gave notes to her friend who organised and typed it up). Still I wonder about how it is that this terrible and terrifying thing called human society allows the truly stupid, reckless and dangerous to flourish.
So then logically, if I am to survive in this world, in the midst of this society, then I too can just go around floundering helplessly interfering with things I don’t understand, aimlessly not knowing or caring for the reason to do so; barking orders & acting unilaterally, just as long as I say what ever is politically convenient at that time so people think I’m actually competent!
With kind regards,
-------------------
Dear committee,
I see your version of the covering note section on your reasoning is ‘stronger’ than dads original.
I like it, as you imply that Meg/Sheila didn’t know there were other considerations, other than simply a matter of permission fromVestry Hall, and just because they didn’t think it would be a problem, that noone else would have anything important to say on the matter & it is not in anyone’s interest for this to continue.
The sad fact is that, there was debate at ' committee level ' (you may remember a 'committee' ad hoc meeting in our garden last year when I was present, let alone more formal ones where I was not) about the possibilities, including that of a permanent sign, however the point that once we have permission to mount such a sign, there MUST be committee consultation has been (conveniently) lost.
Indeed, at that initial (informal) stage, the details of implementation weren’t important enough to warrant any real consideration which, sadly, means that Meg/Sheila could argue that they ‘didn’t know they needed to know anything else’ thus due to their limited understanding, they feel no committee consultation was required.
I don’t think this works in practise, ignorance should not be a reasonable defence, assuming they generally didn’t believe there would be any problems, should volunters be able to act unilaterally?
I think Meg/Sheila could argue that, ‘You unilaterally put up the WVF signs without committee consultation, this is no different’.
In the first instance these are temporary signs, erected correctly, by a trained volunteer and not subject to the same requirements. But more to the point, they were erected as part of an overall strategy which was agreed at committee level, where as the question of a perment Museum sign was not.
The question now, which Meg/Sheila could argue is about where we draw the boundary between normal (day-to-day) operations which don’t require committee consultation and what things do?
I think anything that someone should reasonably suspect could effect the running/operation of the museum MUST be subject to committee consultation, except to the extent where preexisting general authority has been given - was this ever done for Meg and Sheila?
If so how can they support/justerfy someone who has responsibilit
Building and maintaining a loyal customer base is the best way to ensure consistent earnings in the field of sales. Here are some tips on how to do it…You are responsible – Whatever happens when dealing with your customer; whether it is a positive thing such as your product exceeding their wildest expectations, or a negative thing such as them being left waiting for days/weeks for your product to be delivered. You must take responsibility for what happens. Your customer will see you as the emissary of your company – indeed to your customer – you are the company. Blaming someone else in the company for a missed delivery or similar error will simply make you look mean-spirited; taking full responsibility and trying to sort it out will show maturity.Problems are great– Problems (wrong invoicing, poor service, overdue deliveries etc.) offer great opportunities to build loyalty with your customers. Tackling a problem head-on for a customer will build customer loyalty quicker than any another action you may take. Take positive actions to deal with problems immediately, if you ignore them they will just grow bigger.Actions speak louder than words– When you are next in a call and your customer has a problem (which outlined above, is your responsibility), take immediate and positive action. Instead of promising to sort it out later at the office, or make a phone call later in the day – ask if you can use their phone right there and then and ring whoever you need to ring to resolve the situation. Even if you don’t manage to resolve the situation right away, your customer will be very impressed by your positive and immediate response.Keep your promises- Never make promises you can’t keep, and ensure that you keep the ones you do make. If you promise to call a customer back within the hour, do exactly that, even if you have nothing positive to relate. This will gain you a reputation for reliability.Hedge your bets– Follow the old adage ‘Under promise and over deliver.’ Giving yourself a little more time than necessary to achieve a particular result will stop you being put under too much ‘time’ pressure should things not go quite as planned. But don’t use up all this extra time, do what you need to do immediately and get back to your customer early - again this deposits a ‘goodwill credit’ in the Loyal
Indeed, at that initial (informal) stage, the details of implementation weren’t important enough to warrant any real consideration which, sadly, means that Meg/Sheila could argue that they ‘didn’t know they needed to know anything else’ thus due to their limited understanding, they feel no committee consultation was required.
I don’t think this works in practise, ignorance should not be a reasonable defence, assuming they generally didn’t believe there would be any problems, should volunters be able to act unilaterally?
I think Meg/Sheila could argue that, ‘You unilaterally put up the WVF signs without committee consultation, this is no different’.
In the first instance these are temporary signs, erected correctly, by a trained volunteer and not subject to the same requirements. But more to the point, they were erected as part of an overall strategy which was agreed at committee level, where as the question of a perment Museum sign was not.
The question now, which Meg/Sheila could argue is about where we draw the boundary between normal (day-to-day) operations which don’t require committee consultation and what things do?
I think anything that someone should reasonably suspect could effect the running/operation of the museum MUST be subject to committee consultation, except to the extent where preexisting general authority has been given - was this ever done for Meg and Sheila?
If so how can they support/justerfy someone who has responsibility for the internal displays therefore having unilateral authority for anything else. Whatever the case, everyone should be alert of such a policy
With kind regards,
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Summary:
This is an introduction to some relatively complex areas related to appraisals and evaluations which constitute two processes which can assist volunteer management.
It is only in situations which go drastically wrong that a complaints process needs to come into operation. Most complaints, either by or about volunteers, can usually be dealt with in supervisory sessions or through discussions with a manager. Volunteers need to know who they can approach should they wish to make a complaint and the action which will be taken is certain guidelines and policies are broken by them.
Making such processes as fair and straightforward as possible is important, in unpaid work it becomes all to easy for seemingly minor issues to heighten any pre existing sense of injustice or to crate it a feeling of there being an inner-circle of friends. Many volunteers leave an organisation of their own accord. Volunteers need to be valued and supported through their time of leaving. In this way, volunteers will leave with a positive experience of the organisation and possibly return in the future and of invite others, should the opportunity arise.
Complaints:
There may be occasions when a volunteer has cause to make a complaint about another volunteer, organisations run by volunteers where ‘there’s never been a problem’ and have never had need of measures for such procedures, sometimes import boilerplate grievance and disciplinary procedures from a business environment on the basis that ‘it works for them, so it’ll work for us’.
Grievance and complaints, like the burden of any bureaucracy, could quickly start to over-formalise volunteering thus dampening personal creativity. This administrative approch is clearly not appropriate for every organisation. However, it is important to treat volunteers fairly and without procedures all problems will tend to be tackled on an ad hoc basis which would inexorably result in unequal treatment and will only ever heighten any pre existing people's sense of injustice or could create it.
It is now generally accepted that guidelines are required specifically for volunteers, if for no other reason than to avoid an over-formalisation of 'contracts' or 'agreements' between the organisation and its volunteers, which can lead to ambiguities in the status of volunteers.
There are many examples of volunteers clamming protection under employment law, and there is a general perception within committee levels that volunteers are never personally at fault for any damage caused to the organisation, ie any problem is in some way seen as a result of the fault of management instead of the ‘guilty party’. This is true of paid employment, as a direct result of employment law but this can not be applied to the voluntary sector for reasons that should be obvious later.
In the event of a complaint by or concerning a volunteer, all involved should always know there is someone - usually a Manager - who is beyond the direct reporting lines of any issue, with whom they can discuss matters of concern. In most circumstances, this manager will be able to resolve problems, by listening to the volunteer(s) concerned. All parties must know who is responsible and that matters in this context will be treated confidentially.
Dealing with Complaints:
If complaints cannot be resolved by discussion, then some suitable framework has be put in place to deal with such situations; the overall affect should be to create a buffer between the personal and private area of involvement. This process should be seen as a last resort, to be implemented only if supervision and support have failed to resolve the situations.
As with other areas of volunteer management, present guidelines recommend that each organisation should formulate their own complaints process surrounding volunteer involvement. A framework for dealing with complaints should include methods whereby there is:
1) A named person for dealing with complaints;
2) A clear policy known to all everyone;
3) Separation and boundaries of confidentiality;
4) A method to withdraw complaints at any time;
5) A process for complaints included in the induction process;
6) Volunteers have the right to appeal.
Complaints by Volunteers:
As already stated, minor matters can be prevented from becoming major issues through good lines of communication, supervision and support. If a matter cannot be resolved through informal discussions, keeping guidelines as straightforward as possible can help ease frustration. Long, drawn out and complicated processes could be seen as a deliberate form of intimidation to prevent issues being reported in the first place and to prevent matters being dealt with swiftly / justly. Building on the framework described above, if volunteers wish to make a complaint, there needs to be:
1) An explanation of the options available in order to make a complaint;
2) A procedure for putting complaints in writing;
3) An acknowledgement that making a complaint against another volunteer will not prejudice their opportunity to continue to volunteer for the organisation.
4) Documentation of the complaint and subsequent meeting/s to resolve the problem and the outcome should be kept on record.
5) The right to withdraw from their involvement with the organisation or be given extra support to continue, whilst the complaint is being dealt with.
If the complaint is of a serious nature, it may require the involvement of a manager, or chair of the management committee.
In situations where a volunteer makes a complaint, he/she should be informed of the outcome.
Complaints against Volunteers:
In most circumstances, concerns about a volunteer's conduct should be dealt with in supervisory meetings, for example where someone starts interfering with other people’s work. The important point here is that dealing with a complaint at an early stage and in a more informal way is more likely to result in a satisfactory outcome by monitoring and intervention before possible problems are realised is preferable to sorting out problems after the event.
In situations where a volunteer has seriously breached his/her re
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