At the moment I’m working four days a week. I have Sunday off, Wednesday off and, at the moment, Tuesday off. I’m three hours short of my normal time, but I get a whole extra day off, which is quite useful. I could really compress my hours into three days and take a second job, but although that would suit me, it wouldn’t be quite as convenient for running the shop.
It’s now time to confess that I didn’t follow up the chance of teaching adults to read, as I said I would a few weeks ago. I meant to, because it’s important, but the application form rubbed me up the wrong way. There were a number of things which jarred, but I can work round that, people who write forms often become a little bossy. However I then reached the bit where it required details of my relevant qualifications and went on to ask for two references, preferably from “people of some standing in the community”.
Well, I don’t have any “relevant qualifications”, which is generally a coded reference to the fact that they are looking for ex-teachers. I’ve had this sort of thing before. I also, to be honest, no longer have any people in my social circle who could possibly be described as having any sort of “standing” in the community.
They are supposedly an organisation which aims, amongst other things, to make people feel good about themselves by redressing their lack of education, and they end up reminding me that I made some bad decisions in the past, lack educational qualifications and, in addition, have no friends of any standing in the community. Even writing about it now I feel depressed and embarrassed about this.
Anyway, I’m giving my time to help people and I will complete a criminal record check before starting work, so why do they need references?
As I say, some people just can’t help being pompous when writing forms. Overlying that is the idea that I’ve seen this all before – people running volunteer schemes or charities because they want to be in charge of something and look important, and they want to make sure all their helpers are the right sort of person. Unfortunately, I’m not.
I’ll tell you what I am though, I’m someone who has done a lot of volunteering, and someone who won a regional award for my work in running volunteer and training schemes.
At the moment I’m waiting to find out what we will be doing in the shop in the long term. When we settle that I’m going to volunteer for a scheme that goes into schools to help kids learn to love reading. In the meantime I’ve set up a payment to donate to them every month.
Sorry if this makes me sound like a bad person but I have experienced several organisations where I wasn’t happy. My time is valuable to me and I’m not going to waste it on the wrong scheme.
And there we go, a rant about people trying to do good in the community. I really am a nasty piece of work.
Pretentious bloody people just end up patronising the people they say they want to help. I have volunteered in the past with a literacy group where that was the case. Your blog alone is a good recommendation for your talents. 🌻
Thank you 🙂 Glad it’s not just me.
Think what you will but your zebra mask makes you look dashing and very capable of doing whatever you set your mind about…worthy or otherwise.
🙂 Thank yiou – that has brightened my morning…
Life is a vale of tears but I have some sympathy for the form writer. He/she will be very aware of the tendency for people to reach for a lawyer these days, something that never happened in times past, so a paper qualification for you might protect him/her from unsatisfied customers. She/he will doubtless have people looking over her/his shoulder checking that he/she has checked all their boxes.
Mind you, being a poet and an award winning volunteer should be qualification enough.
I sympathise with them to a certain extent in these box ticking days, but it’s the way they ask.
Hmmm the Princess tells me I am a bad person sometimes, usually when I am trying to explain how the world is full of a***oles.
Maybe we are not bad? Just realistic 😉😉
Modern philosophers, that’s us. WE could write a book on modern life – I think you have already provided the title. 🙂
😂😂
What. The. Heck. All they would have to do is read your fine poetry to know how much you love words and how qualified you are. Their great loss.
I think they were more concerned with whether I would deliver their course of instruction as required. The group I now have in mind is about teaching kids to love books. Awkward to find time, but more fun, I think.
Keep looking for a good organization that will appreciate your skills and intellect, Quercus. You have much to offer!
I think I may have found one, just need to sort the times out.
I often marvel at the audacity of these narrow minded people. They should consider themselves fortunate that you wish to help.
How are you? Long time, no see.
A lot better now thank you. I had a triple heart bypass at the end of January, with that and everything else that has been happening around me it has taken me a little time to get back to writing,
I only noticed you’d gone a couple of months ago (it takes awhile to sink in).Good to see you back, I hope all is now well.
You’re not a bad person. You’re just like everyone else…trying to get by…
🙂 You are very kind.
I’ve faced my share of tick-boxing application forms (for charity grants) in the past to understand your feelings. Seriously I’d give you a reference any time – although at the moment I am more lying down in the community.
I’m now picturing you as a Roman Emperor, reclining decoratively in the community. 🙂
I once emailed emailed an application for a grant and set off for rugby training. I was rejected before I reached the club. They told me that they had so many applications that they’d introduced a new parameter, and I didn’t meet it. I had the kids in the car so he got off lightly. Two weeks wasted effort.