The paying Volunteer subject, continued...

[Bay Island Diver]

I have audited plenty of non-profits, but never actually run one, Hopefully Roatan Marine Park may finally gets it's NGO status soon, then I'll be running one!

However, if running one meant that I had to employ solely volunteers with NO full time employees who were fairly renumerated I would quit. Trying to run an effective operation relying on volunteers the supply of which is erratic at best, would mean that we could never commit to any long term projects or ever have any consistency in management. Because long term planning involves certainty of resources. The best way to be sure your resources will be there? - Pay them a proper wage.

Key employees such as boat captains and those responsible for the safety of dive operations NEED to be full time to ensure consistency and quality.

 

[h2odragon1]

I agree with Codman!
It's OK to charge what the organization's cost's are, but they often are making a profit off this "VOUNTEER" / slave/chump labor. When we volunteer to help, it is to help some-one with a project, not to make a living.
I have been a nurse for 25 years, and I would like to help a local divers organization, (they help the handicaped), but what is preventing me is that they want me to pay $200 to 'learn' to help. Essentially, they want me to pay them to show me how to do something I have been doing for 25 years. I wouldn't mind helping them and pay any entrance fee, or my fair share of a dive charter for any dives with these handicapedd individuals, but not $200 just for the certificate for a course that I could teach!
My LDS is the same, with rescue diver. They want me to take their CPR class, when I am certified through my work, at a provider level much higher that what they can teach. I would like to have a rescue diver cert., but this stand in the way. (I should have maintained my CPR Instructor status. Maby that would change their mind.)

 

[Damselfish]

I ran into a shop like that, was going to take Rescue with a friend who is an active EMT, she might have even been a paramedic then or most of the way there. That wasn't suitable for them, she had to do their classes. (Shop went out of business, like any of the others that were run by idiots, since fortunately there are enough good ones around.)

I think the big problem in all this is calling it volunteering. Charge whatever you want, just don't call it volunteering. Call it a working vacation or something.

 

[sand diver]

I agree completely with itsjustme! Very valid point about the difference between non-profit and non-revenue generating!

Besides, perhaps the organisation is doing more for the community by employing local cooks, mechanics, boat captains etc. Especially those who used to make money from fishing and now with increased regulations are forced to seek alternative employment.

Additionally many conservation companies will not pay dive masters, instructors, scientists but will pay their food and board as they are bringing skills to be passed on and/or taking responsibility for volunteers.

 

[CODMAN]

I agree that a non-profit organisation does not have to be a non-revenu generating organisation. I have no problem with that.

But when the price of something is more than your minimum cost, that means you are selling a product or service to someone. And that also means that this person becomes a client, not a volunteer. Lets be clear about something here: they are selling a package to people and making a profit out of it (and hopefully reinvesting it back into the community, as was stated by Ecology). And still that's OK by me. But they are using endearing terms like "volunteer" and so on to help sell the product, and that's the only point I don't like (I know, I'm being redundant again...). I find it misleading.

Honnestly (and I'm sorry for being a bit harsh), I get the impression they are looking for the profit aspect of the "volunteer" (in other words fund raising) rather than the "free labour" aspect. If they were desperate for help getting the important research done (which is why you usually look for volunteers), they would be looking for people who already have dive experience (so they would minimise their cost) and charging them the minimal cost of their expenses (minimum room and board). The volunteer divers experience and hard work would be the "profit gain" of the organisation (and that is worth a lot! Imagine getting research scientists who dive, like me, to help out for free!). This is not what is going on...

I fully understand that getting funding in a country like Honduras must be hard... And I don't have a problem with them selling a product like this to people in order to make a profit and help fund the organisations activities... Especially if the product is of good quality (well organised, good instruction, fun for the participants) and the cause is a good one. Just be straight up about it and what it includes for the client.

Cheers... (Hmmm... I'm even redundant on my end-of-message salutations)

Additionally many conservation companies will not pay dive masters, instructors, scientists but will pay their food and board as they are bringing skills to be passed on and/or taking responsibilty for volunteers.

 

[SDSCUBA27]

Non-profit is a type of business, not a way of doing business. I am not sure I would use the term volunteer when charging clients for the priveledge of working with an organization such as UCME. However I do understand the cost related with volunteers and it can be substantial. There are a number of organizations that accept volunteers at no charge. These are volunteers. When one is paying for the experience they become clients, customers etc... Lets face it, no one is getting rich in Utila in the marine science and ecology arena, whether they charge volunteers or not. The work is important and would be best funded by generous donations from those that come and enjoy our island and diving rather than charging those that come to assist in the efforts to keep Utila ecologically sound.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I find it interesting when these non-profits can charge pretty much the same as other for profit operations that make a good living for the owners. The money has to go somewhere. Is it used to provide marine sanctuaries or what?