Orange Crass

Orange Crush, originally uploaded by Sofia Katariina.

Do ask what your country can do for you......

I’m confused, I just seen an advert about the Orange Rocks concert it’s the one at the Albert Hall that Busta Rhymes got arrested at the airport trying to perform at.

Apparently the deal is the concerts for kids who have volunteered in their local communities as a thank you for their work. What a "brilliat idea I here you say and well done to the performers for supporting the concert and to Orange for funding it.

Now I don’t want to be churlish but I’m not that impressed with paying people to volunteer. Because to “earn” this exciting night out the kids only have to do 4 hours voluntary work. I may have missed a meeting or 2 but all the volunteers I’ve worked and it’s quite a few over the years have never done it me for money. Because I reckon these tickets could easily go for at least £40.

So for not much work (what with a bit of faffing around at the start handing tools, a pop break (kids sad fools don’t drink tea) and some larking about (they are kids after all) they earn £40 . Now if there was scheme for kids to do stuff for pay I’d not complain that much but volunteering is volunteering the work and the experience are their own reward (my none conformist roots are showing here aren’t sorry)

Here are some reasons people volunteer:
To make their local patch that bit better, to help people, to work with kids, to work with animals, to safe old buildings, to plant trees, to sit and natter with poorly folk, to help produce plays, music or art, for a laugh, for the friendship, to see places they wouldn’t normally get to, to help them get a better job, to put something back oh and for the odd digestive and a cup of tea.

Money other than the odd bus fare never comes into it, this scheme is so deeply flawed it’s risible.

Yes I know the idea is to encourage the kids to continue after the event but unless we continue to pay them why would they turn up? Because to get the bug for volunteering it takes time for the rewards to come through (see above) this scheme may have had something if the kids have had to more to get their “reward”.

So lets get this straight people giving their time (labour, skills etc) for free to make the world better is brilliant world changing idea; paying kids and calling volunteering is just wrong and diminishes the hard work of the 1,000’s of volunteers who’ll be doing their bit tomorrow and the day after.

and I was having such a nice day. I like the mosaic do-dah from flickr