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
