SVDP?

Frogeye

Hi all,

Not looking to cause trouble but I want to get peoples opinion on the SVDP. I've been a member for about a year and have done quite a number of home visits. My conference are on a break for the summer and I'm not sure if I'll go back for next year.

The people i've met in the conference are genuine and good people but I'm not sure what difference the work we do makes. It seems to me that the problems we see are mostly people not having the honesty to confront their own problems and looking for a " bail out". Although I must admit to having seen a handful of genuine cases.

Since joining, I've heard the SVDP have a bit of a rep for being taken advantage of , being a soft touch. This of course must be taken in the context of the irish begrudging attitude. I want to help people but I refuse to be taken for a fool and I have to admit from my experience I'm finding it hard to disagree with the comments I've heard. Maybe its just the area or my relative inexperience?

to sum up, i'm willing but disillusioned. Anyone else in the same position?

Kiwi_knock

Was part of an SVP conference in college this year. I helped in giving grinds in the local secondary school, which was in no way a disadvantaged school, because we were doing it for free we were taken advantage of by both the students and the principal. The students were not turning up and the Principal was not bothered in forcing them. This experience has led us to cancel the grinds for next year. Not worth the hassle when we get no reward and are treated like that.

The people I have met in SVP have been generous and friendly people but we are viewed as a soft touch by many. Our treasurer ha such a problem with HQ that he would allow us forward on 50% of the money raised to HQ. The rest was sent to smaller charities and projects. Our treasurer believed that the money in HQ was wasted by those in charge.

I have a great time with SVP and will stay involved but I know a lot of our work is not benefitting the right people and that we are being taken advantage of.

Butterbear

Hi,

I'm president of a conference in Ballymun. I have been volunteering with the same group for 3 1/2 years. I randomly clicked into this forum this evening and felt I had to respond to the OP's comments.

First: the Saint Vincent de Paul is a voluntary organisation run by regular people like you and I with no formal social science training. The Society does offer free training in visitation skills/listening skills/dealing with certain demographics. However, we are not trained to see through bull**** and spot a liar. We have to take people at face value and that is the only way the Society can function.

Different Conferences (groups) operate in different ways. We did not give money/vouchers to people on a regular basis as some do. We work with the families to find the root of the problem and pay suppliers (school book shops, schools, furniture stores) directly where necessary. We assess peple over time and can pretty much root out the bull****ters by telling them that we do not give out money but deal with their neds throughout the year.

Of course, if people want to extort money from the volunteers and Conferences, they will. These people are the types that go through life looking for a free-rside and usually get caught in the end. Infact a circular recently went out from HQ warning of two brothers who have been targeting different Conferences with a view to extrorting money and had been sucessful. If Conferences have the proper checks/approval process in place, this shouldn't happen. It is up to each group to micro-manage their funds.

Finally, while the Saint Vincent de Paul may be seen as a "soft touch", think of how hard it is for people to swallow their pride and ask for help in the first place. The majority of clients have invited us into their homes for a genuine need. A "general perception" shouldn't get in the way of you giving your time to people that need it.

I would agree that money gets lost in the black hole that is Head Office but that applies to most large organisations.

I love the work I do with the Vincent de Paul. It has changed the way I see the world- given me great perspective- and I know it has made a difference to those I visit. I have also made great friends throught the other volunteers in the Conference.

Frogeye

Thanks for your comments ( and to the last poster as well). Nice to hear a positive story.
You obviously have more experience in this than I do. I'm not having a go at the SVDP just trying to find out if my (limited) experience is a reflection of other members experiences.

I also qualified my comments by highlighting that it may be just my area or my conference. I wasn't expecting the SVDP to like Lt Columbo and root out all the chancers in the country!

I have thought about what it takes to ask for help. To a decent person its hard. No question of that.

Like I said I'm not having a cut at the SVDP just trying to decide if its for me.

Frogeye