Volunteer????

http://jjs1952.gaia.com — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:05:34 GMT

Hi everyone! Mikey_Dee suggested I join you guys, so here I am... he also suggested I share an experience I just had last week with the folks at the GLBT Film Festival in Philly.

I had volunteer to do advanced sales. I went to the training which was about an hour. went through so computer stuff for selling tickets, etc... no problem it is a matter of practical experience. So in a couple of days I did my first three hours... it was fun, there is always suppose to be a "manager" there and we worked together well. He was not that much more informed than I . So we kind of stumble around, making mistakes, learning by experience..

So through I all of this I understood that the Festival was looking for some "paid" works to be the "managers" or staff... so I called about that.

I had done two shifts, 6 hours by then... my next shift, the person who we where trained by ask me to come to her office and discuss my desire to be "staff" that is what I thought she ask me to come there for?

So I went to the other side of town, sat in her office, there was another women there as well. And she began to ask questions of how to sell tickets, create pass's, sell membership. etc. all went well. The she ask when I was avaible, and she needed someone tomorrow to fill in for the guy who I had been working with I said fine, and we filled in a bunch more hours, and off I went.

So next morning I am at the store and the first customer has some tricky questions, so I call her... I explain what I need to find out and she act annoyed... but we work it out. and she was going to a meeting.

So I proceed with my day, which to me was good, I think I sold over thousand $ worth of tickets... I felt good, I had no problems.

Than at 7 pm I get a phone call from her, and she says I don't think this is going to work out, I was like What? So I seek to get her to be more clear in what she is asking about, the next "manager' who did not come in until a few hours after had questions, and I was being accused of not doing things correctly, not calling, and a list of infractions that just wouldn't do.

So here I was trying to do my best with what I had to work with... Mostly this was volunteer, even if they had paid me it was small, few weeks work at best.

I was enjoying the experience, meeting the guys and girls, being social, doing my bit. and wam, I feel attacked, taken for granted, dismissed, over the phone and via email... My sense of being was completely thrown, it has taken me days to understand what had gone on, emotionally, spiritually for me.... trust, safety, flew out the door...

I am not sure if any of this makes any sense to you all... and I am not usually this "heavy"

Thanks for reading if you did!

I am Love, jeff

Gaia: Gay Spirituality - General Discussion - Volunteer????

Volunteer????