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That is a very good point - and I guess I should have been a bit more specific (sorry, new PSCI-COMmer). I was really referencing the first role they were seeking volunteers for, which included things like handling mics, set-up/tear-down, runners, etc. I can understand the need for some selection criteria in certain volunteering roles to ensure they can be carried out effectively. a. On 29 April 2013 15:10, Pam Buchan <[log in to unmask] > wrote: > Many volunteer roles apply selection criteria and seek volunteers who > possess specific skills. The skills of course might be at any level > depending on the role. For example, lots of sci com organisations, > including us, will accept voluntary contributions of scientists as speakers > at events. We dont pay them, they may or may not claim travel or other > expenses, they are doing it voluntarily, but we would expect them to have > specific skills (scientific expertise in the topic, good at presenting) and > to carry out specific duties (deliver a talk of X length and X time in a > way appropriate for X audience type). A specific role doesn't equate to a > casual worker. All volunteers have a role. > > Pam > > -----Original Message----- > From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [mailto: > [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alison Atkin > Sent: 29 April 2013 14:51 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Volunteering at the Royal Society Summer Science > Exhibition > > Hi, > > I know this discussion has been going on for a fair while now, but I > thought I'd take the opportunity to raise a point I don't think has been > mentioned yet; and one that falls between the volunteering and HR issues > that have been brought up. > > Personally, (one of) the major issues I see with this advertisement is > that they aren't really looking for 'volunteers'. They have specific > criteria they are looking for in their ultimately successful candidates and > by applying selection criteria, they are seeking to fulfil a specific role > (and therefore a casual worker). > > In a true volunteering role (as suggested by the earlier definition posted > up), the successful candidates should include people with little to no > previous experience or possibly even the necessary skills, but who are keen > to share their time and in exchange are given an opportunity to gain that > experience and learn new skills (which many see as 'making up' for being > unpaid). I highly doubt this will be the case, but I would love to be > proved wrong. > > Alison Atkin > > P.S. Personally, I would very much like to be in a position to do more > 'volunteer' work (and gain more incredibly desireable experience and > skills), but sadly I have to limit myself in order to achieve a balance > between PhD studies/ paid work/ outreach/ personal life, as I believe most > people must. > > ********************************************************************** > > Commands - send an email (any subject) to [log in to unmask] with > one of the following messages (ignoring text in brackets) > > set psci-com nomail (to stop receiving messages while on holiday) set > psci-com mail (to resume getting messages) signoff psci-com (to leave the > list) Subscribe here > https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=psci-com > > Contact list owner at [log in to unmask] Small print and > JISCMail acceptable use policy > https://sites.google.com/site/pscicomjiscmail/the-small-print > > ********************************************************************** > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System on > behalf of > the British Science Association (http://www.britishscienceassociation.org) > ______________________________________________________________________ > > > ********************************************************************** > > Commands - send an email (any subject) to [log in to unmask] with > one of the following messages (ignoring text in brackets) > > set psci-com nomail (to stop receiving messages while on holiday) > set psci-com mail (to resume getting messages) > signoff psci-com (to leave the list) > Subscribe here https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=psci-com > > Contact list owner at [log in to unmask] > Small print and JISCMail acceptable use policy > https://sites.google.com/site/pscicomjiscmail/the-small-print > > ********************************************************************** > ********************************************************************** Commands - send an email (any subject) to [log in to unmask] with one of the following messages (ignoring text in brackets) set psci-com nomail (to stop receiving messages while on holiday) set psci-com mail (to resume getting messages) signoff psci-com (to leave the list) Subscribe here https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=psci-com Contact list owner at [log in to unmask] Small print and JISCMail acceptable use policy https://sites.google.com/site/pscicomjiscmail/the-small-print **********************************************************************