Volunteering jobs or social service

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i have approached a volunteering agency for some volunteer work
as any other AS tried this.
does it create problems
i told her clearly i am poor with communication, socially challenged and poor interaction
she was ok with it and i suggested for some data entry or back office work
i have talked only on phone and will be going to meet her
any ideas about this will it be dangerous or safe?

If finding full-time paid work is difficult, a volunteer position to fill the void is always a good idea.

I work on a volunteer basis as a tour guide at the Museum of Natural Science here in Houston.

I have done voluntary work for the council. So it's not really voluntary, but helping the council to achieve its programme. I gave up after a couple of weeks due to finding the software a pain in the arse and not being able to find anyone to connect with.

I try to get volunteer work - but have yet to actually get any.

I have the same problems with getting voluntary work as I do full-time paid work; I never hear back from them and even if they do try to contact me as I can't use a telephone it's somewhat difficult, and I have no references which many places seem to require. It honestly seems to me that I'd be better off forgetting about voluntary jobs and just focusing on full-time paid work, either way I'm not getting anywhere.

Volunteer work as far as I am concerned is a positive, by giving you something constructive to do with your time and giving you a little social interaction it helps with self-confidence, self-esteem and improving social skills or at least not letting them suffer. As long as you're comfortable doing what they want you to then great, and let them know if you have any problems.

There was quite a bit of hassle I had to go through to get my volunteering job at the library - i.e. enhanced CRB checks (for a voluntary position in a public library?!) and it took them ages to get back to me. The real reason I did it in the first place was to try to meet people - I went into it for the wrong reasons, really. That didn't help, plus the fact that the software was an absolute pain to use - it would have been easier to show people how to use it directly off the bat, but in the world of standardisation that cannot be done. So I quit.

I can understand why you quit. In all fairness working in a library full-stop is a pain given how much you have to go through to get the job, dealing with people, I can imagine the software being a pain - shame as working in a library in any way seems so cool.

I was helping elderly people to learn how to use computers. The real problem was that the software never really made clear to its users how it worked; it was all counter-intuitive. People couldn't tell the difference between an animation and the pro-active part of it. It made teaching quite painful, especially as I didn't fully understand the software myself.

So I was in a position where I either had to learn the software myself (which I thought was pointless when I could show people how to use computers without the software; and it would have made much more sense) or constantly have to get up to show someone how to do X when any decent programming could have allowed for the fact the user was learning and allowed for that. Plus, a good deal of the lessons were in the wrong order. The very first thing these people had to do was set-up and account for themselves on a specialised page, which took quite a while because these people had never used a computer before. Even the senior instructor told the students to do some of the modules in a different order, it was that bad.

Like I said, I went into it for the wrong reasons (I'm sexually attracted to older women and it showed, and showed badly - not a great starting point when dealing with things like this) so that, coupled with the difficulty of the software, plus the fact that it seemed to me to be self-defeating ultimately meant that I left because I was pretty depressed about the whole thing.

Eek - now see I'd have fallen at the first hurdle, I worked IT at British Airways and between teaching BA staff how to use computers and teaching my mother how to use computers I know the pain and the amount of patience involved even on a good day.

Although sorry, but as you brought it up I wonder now..."I'm sexually attracted to older women and it showed, and showed badly" dare I ask how much older

I normally draw the line about about 65ish tops. Usually less than that. It all depends on many factors.

Fair enough, am I right in thinking you're early twenties or am I way off? I could see how that might have been an issue though, lol.

(sorry if I'm being nosey)

Yeah. I'm 22. I don't know how to deal with this. Do I be open about it or not? I don't directly mention it to others (I did mention it once, when I was quite depressed) but I suspect it's well-known anyway.

In fact, I quit for both those reasons: a) my sexuality and b) the dodgy software.

Yes, patience is a virtue. I can do patience up to a point but after a while, when you're being asked the same question many times over it does get tiring. Even if you show them the way to do something, they still come back and ask you again anyway.

I fear we're bogarting the OP's post a wee bit, lol.

Yeah, in all fairness it's nothing to be ashamed of but at the same time not exactly something you shout from the rooftops...unless it's the rooftop of an old people's home and you're feeling lucky. Depending on exactly how it shows itself (I'm guessing that it's obvious) it may well be well-known anyway, so ho-hum perhaps it's not something to deal with but it just is.

Being asked the same thing time and time again...coupled with if they don't think for themselves or determine that if they don't know how to do something that they can't and take their frustrations out on you. A million ways how that job could have urked you.

It's not like I'm just attracted to very much older women. I'm attracted to middle-aged ladies too. And the larger woman (I'm a tubby boy myself). And some younger women. And a certain kind of Islamic headscarf. And younger nuns. And this. And that. And the next thing.

I just have to deal with the fact (like the rest of us) that we're all 'weird'. At least none of my desires involve children or animals, which is the main thing.

And I always get left out on any visits to older people's homes: last time I was in one I sprouted a huge and particularly strong boner. It was the most embarrassing thing I can remember for a long while, particularly as my mum was there and the other woman sat next to me was interested!

Yeah. Don't they say that 99% of all technical problems are generally down to user error or some similar saying?

The other thing I'd like to recommend, Bloodheart, is that you might want to try volunteering in the 'community/government' sector. They're aching for people to work for free there, and since you're in Newcastle (a large city), it shouldn't be a problem for you getting there.

Oh Tequila, sounds to me like you're just attracted to most women...lol...not sure whether to be creeped out or turned on over part of the last paragraph...but hell I'd sure not take you to visit my granny

Anyway, REALLY sorry to the OP for this tangent!