Unlike older-style volunteers, the new breed may not be particularly loyal, long term or able to commit a lot of time. They may be younger and some may be better educated, but they still have to be screened, culled, managed, supported and trained. It all costs a welfare agency time and money. Training courses for some home visitors can run to 12 weeks. Elliott, who runs an accredited training program for volunteer home visitors, finds that some volunteers do not operate at the required level.
Volunteers fill a gap.
Used wisely, volunteers can make a difference. The volunteer home visitors can be a lifeline to mothers. But increased reliance on volunteers is no substitute for the social safety net, or for better housing, smaller class sizes, drug rehabilitation centres, and job training. And it is no excuse for the squeeze on skilled workers. Without enough skilled workers, Roma Lester's case of volunteer burn-out may signal the start of a new social problem.