Five years, not sour grapes

[afrescopXx]

Since 2011 we have volunteered as camp hosts. Four years at two state parks and this year, a federal park. The names will not be used to protect the innocent.

It has been our experience during our combined 18 volunteering months that the park employees have used us to do their jobs. While we worked they relaxed. Either sitting in the back room or their offices they relaxed. While we did not want to be micro managed we feel the employees participation in THEIR jobs would have been nice. We enjoy the autonomy but we do not feel our purpose is to do their jobs completely.

Here is an example: At our latest position, the federal one, we come into work and for our scheduled hours, we are on our own. While a ranger is nearby, none is at our immediate work site. We trained for about three hours on the first day then we became "it". We are very capable people each having worked important jobs prior to retirement with much more responsibility than this position. The paid employees disappear until the end of the day and reappear only when it is time to go home.

I know you all might think I am crazy. Our complaint is that the job of unpaid volunteers is to supplement the location's staff not to replace them. Some places act as though the volunteers are there to provide them with time to sit around and do nothing.

It is also worth noting that the required hours for the full hookup RV spots is increasing. At this park the requirement is now 32 hours PER PERSON! Figure it out, 256 hours a month for a couple makes the equivalent amount, even at minimum wage, almost $1,900 a month for the spot. As retired people we have no desire to have full time jobs

[2gypsies1]

irishtom29 wrote:

2gypsies wrote:


Volunteers don't do it thinking of a dollar sign. They do it because they want to help out the parks. It's very enjoyable and not thought of as 'work'.

That's your opinion and not a fact as is shown by the volunteers who do consider work to be...well...work.

Huh? If you volunteer what do you expect your volunteering to consist of if not some 'work'? Do you think they just want people sitting in their RV with a 'volunteer' sign out in front?

They expect you to do something and yes, the majority of volunteers do it because they want to make a difference and help out in the parks. The parks certainly don't have a problem finding volunteers to do things. It can take a couple years to get into some popular parks because volunteers like it there and re-up for the next season.

There are many areas of volunteering depending on your wants and skills. You can work in the visitor center, office, maintenance, interpretation, trails, photography, computers. You name it and they need help in all areas.

[irishtom29]

JesLookin wrote:

We also volunteer to help out the park. I don't want a job. We put in many more hours than the required minimum. If something needs to be done we do it. Not going to track my hours and stop at 2:43PM because I already put in my time for the day.

Commendable. You're doing what suits you and you're able to afford it. But others who volunteer are in need of the material benefits and they should not be taken advantage of.

I too volunteer with the NPS, though not where there is compensation. I do so because it amuses me and I do it as much as suits me--no more, no less.

[JesLookin]

irishtom29 wrote:

2gypsies wrote:


Volunteers don't do it thinking of a dollar sign. They do it because they want to help out the parks. It's very enjoyable and not thought of as 'work'.

That's your opinion and not a fact as is shown by the volunteers who do consider work to be...well...work.

We also volunteer to help out the park. I don't want a job. We put in many more hours than the required minimum. If something needs to be done we do it. Not going to track my hours and stop at 2:43PM because I already put in my time for the day.

[irishtom29]

2gypsies wrote:


Volunteers don't do it thinking of a dollar sign. They do it because they want to help out the parks. It's very enjoyable and not thought of as 'work'.

That's your opinion and not a fact as is shown by the volunteers who do consider work to be...well...work.

[RRinNFla]

I think that some of the parks may be discouraging some volunteers by requiring longer commitments and more hours. I was turned down as campground host at a Georgia state park because I only wanted to give them one month, and their policy was that volunteers must work at least 2 months, but not more than 6. I was turned down, even though they had an unfilled position. I understand that they don't want to be constantly training new volunteers, but how much time does it take to train one.

My objective was to 1) contribute something to our parks, and 2) to spend some quality time in a given location. I do think my time is more valuable that the benefit received, but every thing is not about dollars and cents.

By requiring longer commitments with more hours, I think the parks are limiting themselves to volunteers who NEED a camp site, rather than volunteers who want to make a contribution.

[Walaby]

Good point 2gypsies. And, I guess if I was staying in a particular place for a month or so, that much time might not be as much of an issue. But, when I go on the road, I want to see and enjoy as much as I possibly can, and it seems like volunteering the equivalent of full time hours would severely impact that. But, I'll probably change my tune when I actually get out semi-FT.

Mike

[2gypsies1]

Walaby wrote:
If I had to work 32 hours a week, I would equate that to 320 dollars per week, before taxes (assuming my work was worth $10 per hour). If a park costs $30 per night, thats $210 per week, which means I'd be working for less than minimum wage.

Volunteers don't do it thinking of a dollar sign. They do it because they want to help out the parks. It's very enjoyable and not thought of as 'work'.

[Walaby]

I've not done work camping, but I suspect if I had to work 32 hours as an individual, I probably would turn that down. My free time is worth more than that, and I think it would be worth more than that when I finally retire.. won't know for sure until then.

I applaud those of you who do volunteer in exchange for whatever compensation you get (free camping etc). If I had to work 32 hours a week, I would equate that to 320 dollars per week, before taxes (assuming my work was worth $10 per hour). If a park costs $30 per night, thats $210 per week, which means I'd be working for less than minimum wage. Naw, wouldn't be worth it to me. 32 hours is becoming the new definition of full time, and there would have to be more compensation than just the accommodations.

Now, 32 per couple might be different. But 32 per person... nope, not worth it.

Mike

[RoadXYZ]

We have seen "cut-backs" in the Oregon State Parks Dept. .... recently a cut back of one ranger was done in a group of three parks ... don't really know what is happening budget wise, but sort of obvious in making one park/recreation area ranger-less except for the Summer Season when a Seasonal Ranger is scheduled there.

And we have loved volunteering for Oregon as the Toilets are considered Biohazards Areas and thus we do not scrub them down (that is for the Ranger to do), we will broom them out and re-supply tp, etc. but nothing more. Sometimes we have to go about our duties and look for more ways to help out. We no longer Clean/Sanitize Yurts/Cabins, due to age ... too old to do "Grunt Work" and instead will be volunteering at non-campground places as that is our choice.

We have volunteered at Federal and Corp of Engineers, but prefer to no longer volunteer that many months per year. Just our Choice. But love the friendship s we have made over the years ... good times along the Oregon Coast ... Shalom (Peace).

[Quartermoon]

halfwright wrote:
I volunteer to do listed duties. I have never volunteered to watch the rangers or full time employees. That was not and never has been part of the job description.

I try to keep my hours to the required amount, but I have a low boredom threshold and will seek something to do.

I am trying to say--
Do your job to the best of your ability. Do NOT worry about some one else and how they are doing their job. Do not think that workamping is a career position.
Do not take the wheels off your RV.

I think this hits the nail on the head.

[halfwright]

I volunteer to do listed duties. I have never volunteered to watch the rangers or full time employees. That was not and never has been part of the job description.

I try to keep my hours to the required amount, but I have a low boredom threshold and will seek something to do.

I am trying to say--
Do your job to the best of your ability. Do NOT worry about some one else and how they are doing their job. Do not think that workamping is a career position.
Do not take the wheels off your RV.

[dewey02]

3oaks wrote:

The National Parks are in trouble financially and it is sad to see.

Could be because all the money generated at the national parks does not stay with those parks. Much of it is pulled back to Washington. :M

This has been discussed many times on this forum. And it is a common but Incorrect assumption that all the money goes back to Washington DC.
For concession run operations, much of the money goes to the concessioner, with a cut going to the local park.
With NPS run operations (entry fees, NPS run campgrounds and facilities) 80% of the money stays at the local park, 20% goes to the regional office to help out those parks who don't generate a lot of money from fees. This is a result of the Recreation Enhancement Act 16 U.S. Code § 6806

(A) Retention of revenues
Not less than 80 percent of the recreation fees and site-specific agency pass revenues collected at a specific unit or area of a Federal land management agency shall remain available for expenditure, without further appropriation, until expended at that unit or area.

More info here: Rec. Enhancement Act link

[4X4Dodger]

This is an interesting discussion as I am getting a bit bore with just traveling and am considering either a job (seasonal) or a Camphost position.

But in my research I have seen that many of the positions on Volunteer.gov. are actually paid a per diem. some as much as $42 per day.

I talked to one set of CH's here in Alaska at a BLM campground who were making more than that.

In other places I note there seems to be no compensation.

But to your point: I don't think you should worry about what the rangers are doing. Just do your job, what you agreed to do and leave them to do what they want. If any one should question why something was left undone simply point out that it was not in your agreement to do that particular task.

[lostdog]

The key is...we are VOLUNTEERS! When we start looking for new "employment" (and we only stay at a park for 3 months only) the questions I always ask are:
Do you have 50 amp?
Do you have sewer for us?
Does the site have Verizon access?
What exactly will our duties be?
And how many HOURS ARE YOU REQUIREING for the site?
Look at it this way: I conduct the interview with the volunteer coordinator, not the volunteer coordinator interviewing me.
Our max is 40 between the 2 of us. PERIOD. And I inform each and every supervisor that we will have of that fact and have never had a problem. We are NOT employees, we are volunteers.
Been doing this for 4 years now and have never had a problem with sites that we selected to volunteer at. But I have had to say NO to a few. Oh by the way...we do nothing but federal parks.