Volunteerism

I'm a volunteer. I deliver library books to the homebound for Glasgow Libraries. I've been doing this for about 8 years and only took it on once I'd checked this service had not existed before, so I knew volunteers weren't taking people's jobs. I also used to volunteer at a foodbank but it's hard physical work and I'm no longer fit for it. Again, no one loses their job when people volunteer at a foodbank. I used to volunteer doing tours of the farmhouse at the Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride. Once again, this service would not have been available if it hadn't been for volunteers.

At a 'do' held by Glasgow Life last week, the figure of 102,000 came up. This I think was the number of days put in by volunteers, although I'm not sure over what period. The Glasgow Life staff present were very proud of this figure. I spoke to a few other volunteers who were proud to take part in activities, like helping out at day centres for the elderly and people with learning difficulties. I was also pleased to see some young people had come along to the event to find out what it was about and were being welcomed and encouraged to find out more - and join in.

Then this week I read that the company organising the Edinburgh New Year celebrations are looking for volunteers. These people will not be doing what volunteers with Glasgow Life do, because the Edinburgh celebration is a business. It's not a public service: it's not run for the benefit of local residents. It's not a 'not-for-profit' organisation. It's run for the owners and shareholders of the business and it's meant to make money.

The 'volunteering' mostly seems to involve stewarding and crowd control. These are important jobs that should be paid, in my opinion. I also wonder if there's any training for the volunteers - and if they will be paid for that. Or are they going to do this volunteering for the sole rewards of getting to put it on their cv after standing around watching, not the activities, but the crowd?

Of course, people will 'volunteer' for the New Year event in Edinburgh. I'm told volunteering is now an international phenomenon, with people flying in from all over the world to offer their services at the event.

The cost of celebrating New Year in Edinburgh has been spiralling out of control in recent years: admission to the street party now costs from £59 to £106. I find myself wondering how many Edinburgh folk will be able or willing to pay this kind of cash to get to the centre of their own city. Has the Hogmanay celebration now become like the Edinburgh International Festival: something for
other people, not even for most Scots never mind Edinburgh folk, a money-maker but not for the people who live here?

It's the very definition of greed: we've reached the point where everything that can be made to make a profit is squeezed till it squeaks. A lot of the events I've described involve the arts in one way or another, and yet, ironically, the area of life most despised by money-makers is anything artistic - unless it can be made to pay.

I think we're in danger of tipping over into the state I associate with capitalists, who know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.