Volunteer-Staff Relations

» malyme - What makes a good volunteer?

I just moved here not long ago and this is the first time I've had problems in volunteering. I wanted to get involved in the community so started attending community forums and meeting. It just so happens that they're working with the EPA and FEMA regarding hazardous chemicals in the area and also a recent flood. So one resident stood up wanting to do a study on incidents of health problems to show that there is a correlation with these pollutants. A doctor stood up and said that couldn't be done because of the need for privacy regarding health matters. So I said I knew of cases where that had been done and sent in copies of what I had. I was subsequently invited to chair a "health committee" to work on this project. But then there was some dissension among long-time residents and also it felt like some tension from the staff. So I felt like I was stepping on toes or something. But it wasn't me that suggested I chair the committee. So now I don't know what to do. And my philosophy is that in this kind of thing (participatory action research) the community has to do it - it's not like a researcher coming in to do it for them. They've done a study before too. So I don't know what to do. It's really awful. I was nominated and seconded by the staff for the position at the last meeting, but only at the end when there wasn't any time to have dicsussion nor to recruit and they didn't bring the sign up sheet which they adamantly insisted on doing themselves, even though they didn't in the end do it. They only have a year to do this, because that's the time frame for FEMA and EPA, then they're out of here.

-- posted by malyme

Permalink Print Discussion Join the latest discussions