Officials and competitors

[BandD]

Just been having a look at Focus.
If there is one thing I hate it is being called a VOLUNTEER.
It is government sports management speak for the unpaid in sport.
I am an ORIENTEER- either taking part as a competitor or as an official.
Being called a volunteer makes me feel excluded- not the real thing.
I do volunteer at times e.g. I am a volunteer bird counter for the British Bird Atlas.
I don't belong to the organisation but it needs help so I have volunteered to help out.
But I am part of orienteering - I pay my dues and have a right to vote in elections and decision making.
Please, BOF, even if it demands a stretch of the imagination, call us what we really are - competitors or officials.

[Scott]

"Official" is probably fine for those who help put on events - whether they're proper "Event Officials" or not - but it doesn't really sound right for those coaching junior squads, serving on club committees, editing newsletters, sorting out the regional fixtures list, or doing any of any of a hundred other unpaid jobs that make the sport work. Suggestions for a better term than "volunteer" are welcome, but I don't think "official" in an improvement (but then maybe that's just me).

[RJ]

I'm quite comfortable with the word 'volunteer'. It only gets used in official 'stuff'. Most people at club level are referred to as 'helpers', although a person might be asked to 'volunteer' to plan an event..... more often than not they will be asked to 'look after the event at Sale Fell... can you plan.... can you organise.... etc!'

We have loads of words we use..... planner, organiser, controller, event official, helper, dozens of titles for various jobs..... 'volunteer' is just a collective noun for all of them. How many times have people responded to a request with...... "Yes, I'll volunteer to plan that event."

[Barny of Blandford]

For the English Schools Athletics Team event which we organised at Bournemouth a couple of years ago all the teachers - including msyself - were issued with Sainsburys bright orange round neck cheap-o T shirts that has printed on the back in large capitals VOLUNTEER
We were not impressed - in fact the general feeling was they might as well have printed PRATT on instead!

[Mrs H]

Yes I've been issued with one of those before now - it quicly got consigned to Mr H's extremely dirty jobs at work bin

There is somethings slightly subservient about the term volunteer which irks me too but I can't quite put my finger on it - I think it's something to do with the fact that for a long time now I've had a number of part time jobs - none of which I happen to get paid for (sadly) but i try to be professional about them and yet "volunteer" and "professional" can be construed as being opposites according to some definitions. Its the volunteer=amateur=poor equation that is unpalatable.

[awk]

Yes, it's interesting how we regard amateur as amateurish and professional as, well, professional. I gather that in France, amateur carries a lot more kudos, being someone who really loves the subject and knows what they are talking about. Thus "un vrai amateur" might be a compliment, whilst "a true [or real] amateur" isn't!

[Scott]

It wasn't that long ago that "amateur" carried a certain kudos in the UK, particularly in a sporting context - fellrunning only got over this relatively recently, and the distinction between "amateur" and "professional" is still pretty major in boxing. The OED does quote the negative use of "amateur" going back to 1786, though...

[graeme]

I'm willing to love. What's wrong with you lot

[mharky]

This is the most pointless thread on nopesport this year by far.

[RJ]

Wooooooo.... hang on.... it is only Jan23..... there is still plenty of time and we will NOT be disappointed as the year progresses!!!!!

[LostAgain]

This is the most pointless thread on nopesport this year by far.

Must agree. I checked my calendar to see whether it April 1st

[Cave Man]

This is the most pointless thread on nopesport this year by far.

don't panic mate - still another 11 months plus a little bit to go to find some more "gems" - a countless number of which I'm sure there will be.

[BandD]

As I understand the programme is that "trained" officials will get paid for organising.
Volunteers will be expected to do it for nothing.
Of course maybe I understand wrongly but .........

[Red Adder]

Lets be honest, Orienteering would not exist, well not at the prices we pay, if it was not for the ten of thousands of hours that are put in without charge by orienteers (and often their non-competing families). A simple generic English word for someone who contributes in this way is volunteer.

I think its actually important we keep this or a similar term in use to emphasise to people that putting back something in to the sport for no charge is part of its core ethos, is essential to its existence and is the best way of getting to know others involved in the sport (ie the social side).