[NEohioPAL]To Volunteer or To Not Volunteer?

[Dawn Jordan]

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I normally don't wage in on these debates but I am compelled to share my own opinion on this one.
   
  I see NEOPal as a wonderful resource for the arts and entertainment community and I want to express that not everyone agrees that requests for legitimate volunteers are to be censored from this list.  I (and many others I know in the arts/entertainment community) have volunteered our time in exchange for learning about the industry, for experience on resumes, or (quite frankly) for the fun of it.  Just because someone volunteers doesn't mean that someone else is taking advantage of them.  I don't want postings censored or for people to feel uncomfortable posting requests for volunteers for fear that they will be blasted for doing so.  Not all requests are legitimate, but most of the people on this list are intelligent, thoughtful people that can tell the fakes and phonies from those who genuinely believe in what they are doing and don't have the money to hire someone.  Sometimes volunteers are more reliable than paid employees because they believe in what they are doing
 enough to not care about payment.  If I volunteer, I usually go above and beyond what I need to do.
   
  I am intelligent enough to know that there are no "Million Dollar Start-Ups" unless you are paying a million dollars to start a company.  In which case, you would be able to pay a secretary.  Everyone thinks they have a "million dollar idea" for a business but that doesn't count.  
   
  As far as the film, while I may not want to volunteer my time to help them, there may be others that would want to help for experience.  Maybe they agree with what the film stands for and want to help.  Maybe the don't agree with it but still want to help.  How many times has someone requested people to work on their horror film for experience but no pay?  Does that mean that you agree with bloody scenes of people getting hacked up?  No - it means that you want the experience of being a part of the film industry or have some free time and think it would be fun.
   
  Everything comes down to integrity.  Everyone posting should give all of the necessary information for the others on the list to decide for themselves.  If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.  
   
  Let us make our own decisions.  We are responsible for researching for ourselves whether to volunteer our time or not.  If you have had a bad experience with that person or group that is posting, by all means post what happened to you.  Tell about your experiences but please do not assume that all people requesting volunteers are scammers or try to ban them from posting on this list.  If you do, you might scare away someone whom I might want to help.  Playhouse Square uses volunteer ushers as do many other theatres.  Independent films use volunteers.  Student filmmakers use volunteers.  Does this mean that they are not legitimate because they don't pay?  Not at all.  To volunteer or not to volunteer - that is the question. Please do not make the assumption that I or the others on this list are so unintelligent that we can't make decisions for ourselves. 
   
  Thank you to Fred, who gives us the opportunity to express our needs and gives the arts and entertainment community an outlet to advertise, share, and discuss!
   
  Dawn Jordan

 
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<div>I normally don't wage in on these debates but I am compelled to share my own opinion on this one.</div>  <div> </div>  <div>I see NEOPal as a wonderful resource for the arts and entertainment community and I want to express that not everyone agrees that requests for legitimate volunteers are to be censored from this list.  I (and many others I know in the arts/entertainment community) have volunteered our time in exchange for learning about the industry, for experience on resumes, or (quite frankly) for the fun of it.  Just because someone volunteers doesn't mean that someone else is taking advantage of them.  I don't want postings censored or for people to feel uncomfortable posting requests for volunteers for fear that they will be blasted for doing so.  Not all requests are legitimate, but most of the people on this list are intelligent, thoughtful people that can tell the fakes and phonies from those who genuinely believe in
 what they are doing and don't have the money to hire someone.  Sometimes volunteers are more reliable than paid employees because they believe in what they are doing enough to not care about payment.  If I volunteer, I usually go above and beyond what I need to do.</div>  <div> </div>  <div>I am intelligent enough to know that there are no "Million Dollar Start-Ups" unless you are paying a million dollars to start a company.  In which case, you would be able to pay a secretary.  Everyone thinks they have a "million dollar idea" for a business but that doesn't count.  </div>  <div> </div>  <div>As far as the film, while I may not want to volunteer my time to help them, there may be others that would want to help for experience.  Maybe they agree with what the film stands for and want to help.  Maybe the don't agree with it but still want to help.  How many times has someone requested people to work on their horror
 film for experience but no pay?  Does that mean that you agree with bloody scenes of people getting hacked up?  No - it means that you want the experience of being a part of the film industry or have some free time and think it would be fun.</div>  <div> </div>  <div>Everything comes down to integrity.  Everyone posting should give all of the necessary information for the others on the list to decide for themselves.  If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.  </div>  <div> </div>  <div>Let us make our own decisions.  We are responsible for researching for ourselves whether to volunteer our time or not.  If you have had a bad experience with that person or group that is posting, by all means post what happened to you.  Tell about your experiences but please do not assume that all people requesting volunteers are scammers or try to ban them from posting on this list.  If you do, you might
 scare away someone whom I might want to help.  Playhouse Square uses volunteer ushers as do many other theatres.  Independent films use volunteers.  Student filmmakers use volunteers.  Does this mean that they are not legitimate because they don't pay?  Not at all.  To volunteer or not to volunteer - that is the question. Please do not make the assumption that I or the others on this list are so unintelligent that we can't make decisions for ourselves. </div>  <div> </div>  <div>Thank you to Fred, who gives us the opportunity to express our needs and gives the arts and entertainment community an outlet to advertise, share, and discuss!</div>  <div> </div>  <div>Dawn Jordan</div><p> 

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