no more

[winsey]

I quit the food coop. I'm finished. You will no longer have to read posts about how fucked up the community center and it's management is or about how nobody involved seems to understand the first thing about seasonal food. And I'm totally relieved.

Comments

[purejuice]

oh god, i'm really sorry about this. i wonder if NGOs are sort of rife with this kind of outrageous management? i lost my mind and volunteered to work for a genocide prevention org which is basically run by one guy whose motives are....and who ....
so i'm having to wiggle out. eeesh.
i hope you feel better about this, and/or find a way to work this sort of thing that's not so completely painful.
keep us posted.
xxx

[winsey]

From my experience, yes, NGOs are run by maniacs. Usually maniacs who would not have power in any other sector. They are so insecure about their grip on that power (often because they aren't really qualified to run something and manage staff) that they rule with an iron fist and surround themselves with cronies who will help them maintain their power by terrorizing employees and volunteers.

The only place I've ever worked/volunteered that wasn't like that happened to be a collective. In my opinion, the problem is hierarchy. If I ever do this again, it will be with a group of committed individuals who are willing to share the burden.

If you don't like the way your volunteering gig is shaping up, get out as soon as you can. Otherwise you can get sucked in and start being made to feel guilty about leaving.

[gordonzola]

damn. sounds like you did the right thing though.

[winsey]

I'm feeling totally self-righteous about this decision right now. I'm worried about how I will feel if the coop starts failing or if other volunteers leave because, as they've told me, they also don't like the woman in charge. I suppose I just need to let go.

[traballenguas]

Fuck it. It must be really hard to let go of something that you put so much work into, but to continue would be just to abuse yourself.

As far as NGO's / non-profits having lousy management, I think that is often the case. I had a conversation with a good friend who does substance abuse work and she is fed up with some of the agencies she has to work with (one of the worst being a Holocaust survivors org - hey juice!). I guess they all get their start in some way, bu tI think they continue to suck because dysfunctional organizations tend to attract dysfunctional people (who can work their system) into their dynamic, and the cycle continues.

I can't find out where to comment on that web page, but it is funny to see the list at the bottom where "Be accountable for our actions" seems to have fallen off its bullet point....

Glad you are getting out, and holding them accountable!

[winsey]

Inter-agency working is really hard because in the voluntary sector, everyone is competing for funding and they become very territorial with their clients. So what happens is that the people who are supposed to be helped by services lose out because workers are afraid to refer. Naturally, this is infuriating for the people who do this work and believe they should be responding to the needs of their clients as best they can and sending them somewhere else when they can't help.

You are absolutely right about organizations remaining dysfunctional. The other day I was thinking about how many thoroughly unprofessional organizations I've worked for and wondering why these places survive because "who actually wants to work in that kind of environment?" Then I remembered that all the unprofessional morons were the ones in charge so of course they don't change.

[unscrambled]

I'm glad you left, you didn't even FIIA, they don't even know that you diid them such a favor.

[charliedisaster]

That sucks - I'm really sorry. Glad you got out without feeling too bitter - let them get on with it!