I’m on a lot of online communities, most focused on nonprofits in some way. And recently, on one of them, someone posted this:
I need to have some kind of porn blocker software on the computers at our office, since volunteers have access to the computers.
Sigh.
Yes, that’s right: while employees, because of their paychecks, aren’t at all inclined to do anything inappropriate on work computers, volunteers, who are unpaid, just can’t stay away from online pornography.
Sigh.
I’ve heard people at nonprofit organizations talk about extensive training and supervision for volunteers regarding confidentiality, working with children and working with money, who then balk when I suggest exactly the same training and supervision is needed for paid employees.
Paychecks are NOT magical! A paycheck doesn’t make someone more knowledgeable than a volunteer, more experienced, more trustworthy, more respectable nor safer.
I love a paycheck as much as anyone! But it doesn’t give me super powers.
More about working with volunteers.
So frustrating! When I hear “We can’t use volunteers due to confidentiality,” I see red. Most of the non-profits in my area were started by volunteers. It is amazing that they succeeded with the low morals and free flowing personal information that must have occured in the beginning.
Simply…Train your volunteers. Explain why confidentiality is so critical to the health and well-being of the clients. When I was on staff at domestic abuse program, I would give scenarios to practice during training where a volunteer could get easily “caught” in disclosing personal info. Then have them sign a confidentiality agreement. As I staff member, I was never asked to sign a Confidentiality Agreement.
You mean give volunteers the same training as employees regarding confidentiality?! (I’m being sarcastic).
“As I staff member, I was never asked to sign a Confidentiality Agreement.” Oh, it’s one of my favorite questions to ask, if all these things required of volunteers of required of staff – and, indeed, I’ve been told “No, we don’t have to, because they are paid.” ARGH!!!
Thanks so much for replying!