World Share

WORLD SHARE: From a volunteer's perspective.



PROS.



*Have the opportunity to meet other organizations.



*Free Lunch (excluding specials) for full-time volunteers at the company's restaurant.



*The director is professional.



*Given the opportunity to assist those who really need the help.



CONS.

*The center is operated in a "ghetto-type" manner.



*Most of the clients (around 80%) are the same clients that utilized the same services everyday.



*Work hours can be long and stressful, which can result in burnout.



*Huge internal theft issues.



*The work environment is extremely unprofessional and very volatile.



*There is a power-struggle between certain volunteers, causing friction & miscommunication.



*Egos are commonplace.



*Clashing visions and ideas, which also results in friction & arguments.



*Difficult to distinguish the actual volunteers from the superficial ones.



*As much as I like the vision of World Share, the Los Angeles branch needs a major revamping, which include hiring competent volunteers, not the ones based on nepotism & favoritism.



My advice to the director is to review volunteers, hire volunteers with merit & experience, not just because of the "safety-net" aspect. Also, more work in listening and advise the volunteers to lay down the back-stabbing tactics just for personal gain.