Lilacs4Me
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2015
There's part of the problem right there. Your definition of "volunteer." In your OP you say this volunteer position requires certain criteria. But, then you don't back it up and hold her to that requirement, as, being a volunteer and not being paid, you CAN'T hold her to the criteria.
Sorry, many volunteer positions don't operate undee that kind of thought process. Many organizations depend on people showing up & committing, regardless of pay. You CAN ask and require people uphold a certain standard rules & requirements of being responsible and committing to sign up for shifts or a certain duration, showing up on time. Having the integrity to honor their word to come in when they say they will and staying for the whole time, doing the required work assigned. And if one cannot adhere to these rules and expectations, that this isn't the right "volunteer" kind of job for them and their needs, and they need to communicate to you, drop out of the program and find something more suited to their idea and amount of commitment (or not) for volunteerism.
There are whole organizations that would not be able to run and run successfully without structure and depending on people who agree to do what is expected of them when they commit. Rescue workers & first responders, like the Red Cross is 90% volunteers. If they need 30 volunteers to show up to a makeshift shelter and 20 volunteers don't show just because it's too cold and wet for them and they aren't being paid, that's not going to work.
Volunteer fire stations depend on the volunteer firefighters staying the whole shift and not going home 2 hours early as they are bored and they have something better to do.
It doesn't matter that YOUR organization is a youth sports league. You set up a volunteer system with certain responsibilities, expectation and level of commitment for the whole season. 3 of your sophomore coaches were amazing, so you did get that expectation across to some/most of them. I think you may have needed to really make the requirements known to all at the beginning, so they know the first day they all show up and can realize then, that this "volunteer" assignment is more than what they thought it would be and it isn't a good fit for them.
It may be that this girl thought she could just fluff her way through, drop in & out and only do what she wanted, when she wanted. Call it a day and then get the recommendation for college, which is probably why she "volunteered" in the first place. Make it clear next season, at the start, that someone who performs as she did, (you mention you get a few duds each year,) isn't going to get a recommendation. And that their work will be periodically evaluated so adjustments (on both ends) can be made throughout the season. You have a right to drop a volunteer from the program and replace her if they aren't doing what they committed to do and are continually a let down. It doesn't matter if it's a paid position or not. You need volunteers to fill certain slots and to show up and do the work when they say they will.
If she needed a volunteer position where she could come & go as she pleased, do as little work as she pleases, and only if she was able to work with her BFF, then she should have kindly been told to find that kind of volunteer project elsewhere. There are volunteer opportunities like that. They are just happy when people show up whenever and do whatever work they can or want to. They may have been able to give her a glowing recommendation for just showing up now and then, which you can't (and shouldn't) write for her.
If you write a good recommendation for this girl, then the ones you write for the girls who do deserve it, aren't worth the paper they are written on. And your word & recommendation isn't of any real value.
No, not a few duds each year....a few duds occassionally in the 8 years ive been involved at whatever level at that time. It happens - you think you have someone good, and they turn out not so great.
Thank you for answering the question...
If you write a good recommendation for this girl, then the ones you write for the girls who do deserve it, aren't worth the paper they are written on. And your word & recommendation isn't of any real value
I'm not going to get into how or what we do as a league to convey the expectations and how we mentor the teen coaches because thats not what I'm asking about in the post and it's already been derailed enough. We can start a spin-off thread on that if you want! But I will add a note in my OP that yes, she was talked to before and during the season and the expectations were outlined.
Thanks!
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