Is it strange that a volunteer organization would want to interview you?

Question

This doesn't pay and it seems kind of ridiculous.

Answer 1

You'll be a representative of this organization, if you become a volunteer.  If you started a volunteer organization, would you care if just anybody showed up, who might just be there to;

hit on people

see what they can get out of the organization

just want it for an addition to a resume'

etc, etc

What gets me, I filled out an application to volunteer at an animal rescue group.  That was months ago, and no one called.  I dropped it off in person.

Answer 2

It would depend on what the organisation does, if you are to be working with children or handling money then they might want to see if you have the right character for the position.  There are some sick people out there who would try to rip off anyone for their own benefit.

Answer 3

no if they are reputable they can lose a lot of credibility  for their cause

if you ran a organization that was reputable wouldn't you want to screen potential fools derelicts and criminal minds out of your selection . les alone people incapable of handling the task @ hand.

sight unseen would be very negligent and open  for liability

  

Answer 4

It is very appropriate for them to want to interview you.

Especially if you are dealing with populations at risk,i.e. children and  elderly, handicapped etc.  We are finding a lot of teachers have been acting out against our children as pedophiles.

One bad apple could spoil your organization and end any hopes of decent funding.

Answer 5

It's not ridiculous at all. The days of volunteer work being treated as "make work" for students or something for bored housewives to do a few days a week is passe.

Non-profit volunteer and philanthropic organizations are ran more and more like for-profit corporations, and they, too, have boards of directors, sponsors as well as the general public to answer to if something goes wrong. Not only are they formally interviewing potential volunteers, but also asking for and checking references, too.

In these past few years with all the high profile cases of corruption within charities, people doing stuff like embezzling money and molesting children under the guise of volunteerism, the credibility of several volunteer organizations have taken a hit. So the organizations are being a lot more careful and selective, and who can blame them?

With less government monies to rely on and fewer corporations offering financial assistance, it's forcing the non-profit/private sector to be good stewards and to maximize what resources both human and material/monetary that they have.

Just because it's not a paying job, it doesn't mean that one should treat a volunteer opportunity in a casual manner. A lot of times those jobs can lead to paid jobs.

Also, it's still important to match one's skills and ability to the work being done, not to mention finding out if a person may have any psychological issues that might get in the way of getting the job done. For example, if you put a person into a job who is just going to warm a chair and not do any actual work, it's a waste of time and money. If a person who is obviously not a people person get put in a job where high people contact is the norm such as a phonebank or a reception desk, again it's a misuse of skill sets...because the person will more than likely fail at the task. People are much happier and are more likely to succeed when they understand what it is they are to do, and they are able beforehand to determine if the work is something they feel suited for. So in a sense, the interview is not just them checking you out , but also YOU interviewing the organization to see if it's someplace you'll feel comfortable.