Really Pay to Review My Application

According to the new federal guidelines, all volunteers must undergo criminal background checks. The cost ($25 to $50) of this is sometimes born by the applicant for the volunteer positions.

Some would complain if a Prevost coach was supplied for the host to use.
And full pay. Just like some complain at their jobs for many years till they retire.

Pogoil.

Really is a smack in the face. After all, a work camping volunteer for these places is not paid anything... sure you get a free camp site but really.

With that free camp site comes the expectation that any time you are physically in the site you are on the clock and do not dare tell a customer that you are not on duty.

The only way for this to stop is for we as a group to boycott these practices. When the pool of volunteers dries up then these places will realize that their practices are counter productive and stop the shenanigans.

We've stayed at several Georgia State Parks. One in particular would be well worth the fifteen bucks for a background check + excess insurance whatever that is. That particular park is always covered with hosts in the months we would want to vol.

wannavolunteerFT wrote:
With 45 state parks and recreation areas utilizing up to as many as 8 volunteer hosts per park, it makes sense that Georgia is ALWAYS looking for hosts. That is a lot of volunteers. Dog Folks that may be why it seems like they are looking for more than other agencies, because they have more needs.

RickLord, if you look on the page where you sign up to be a host, it has some job descriptions for various types of hosts (camp, golf, maintenance, etc). The site also says 24 hours per couple (sure they want you around the camp site more), but you aren't stuck in the park 24/7. I often see signs on host sites saying "off duty, see host on site ##). Another thing you sign up to host from 2-6 months, so you are not stuck for a year either. If something comes up that you really feel you need to leave, you can... just may make getting another hosting gig a bit more difficult... and you don't get the extra free camping that you get for completing your time. Please read the website carefully, and download the volunteer welcome packet to answer even more questions.

I hate to disagree and do not want to start a fight, but Florida has two and 1/2 times the number of parks. (160) One park have I have hosted at for years has 12-18 hosts and over 100 regular volunteers that have to provide twice the number of hours (40) per site each week.

Florida has no problem finding hosts or volunteers and it is difficult to find a position there. I have talked to Georgia hosts and they seem happy, yet Georgia can't even fill the positions in the all the parks even in peak season. There is some thing amiss there, as the parks are beautiful and in good shape.

No matter the reason,I am not going to PAY to volunteer.

Okay...let me get this right. Pay money just to submit an application? And for no pay. I have just gotten a good job working retail at a major department store. The pay is not much and its part time, but I am willing to give my all for this store. They are giving me a chance. And Georgia wants to charge me without even looking at my application to see if I would be a good fit. Come on, I am not that stupid.

With 45 state parks and recreation areas utilizing up to as many as 8 volunteer hosts per park, it makes sense that Georgia is ALWAYS looking for hosts. That is a lot of volunteers. Dog Folks that may be why it seems like they are looking for more than other agencies, because they have more needs.

RickLord, if you look on the page where you sign up to be a host, it has some job descriptions for various types of hosts (camp, golf, maintenance, etc). The site also says 24 hours per couple (sure they want you around the camp site more), but you aren't stuck in the park 24/7. I often see signs on host sites saying "off duty, see host on site ##). Another thing you sign up to host from 2-6 months, so you are not stuck for a year either. If something comes up that you really feel you need to leave, you can... just may make getting another hosting gig a bit more difficult... and you don't get the extra free camping that you get for completing your time. Please read the website carefully, and download the volunteer welcome packet to answer even more questions.

mikeleblanc413 wrote:
Given that the "net pay" to a workamper in a state park, and many other locations, is well below minimum wage, I would not pay any fees associated with "hiring". There are many choices for a workamper and this fee arrangement will only lessen the quality of workamper.

X2 If you watch common work camping ads on the internet, you will see that Georgia is ALWAYS looking for volunteers, much more than any other agency, comparatively.

Now I know why. I am certainly not going to PAY in order to work at low wages. We volunteer to "give back." We are certainly not going to pay for the privilege.

It's really not the $15 it's the idea of it and they don't need to run background checks on everyone only the people they hire. Also the attitude of the guy I talked to which was pretty vague in job description, I really got the impression that you do what we tell you when we tell you to do it. Also on call after hours to help any campers, and when I asled if you could arrange to take time off to maybe go visit someone or something the answer was no your pretty much there for the duration. So for a year your stuck. Maybe just the guy I talked to was having a bad day but it seemed like to talking to potential volunteers was a real pain and he didn't have a very high regard for them, THEN to find out it was going to cost $15 just struck me wrong.

If we are volunteering, I am not paying any fees so that they can let me work for free. Sorry.