I've been purple for two years... AMA

There's some interesting observations there, Cavy. Thanks Just to note though that this:



isn't really what I, and I think harrys, is saying. We're not suggesting that there is any 'ageist bias' to the VT. What we're saying is that older members of TSR have no incentive to join the VT, and indeed will be disincentivised by the current climate - and that is going to have ramifications long-term. It's not a discussion point that the overwhelming majority of older VT members have left, and there are none waiting in the wings desperately trying to get onto the VT. And there is a reason for this...

Thanks for your thoughtful reply

I do think it might be a bit hard to join when you are older into a group of people a lot younger than yourself,

I also think harrysbar brings up a separate valid point, one not necessarily tied to age but of FHs being undervalued. I felt that very strongly when i was a FH, not from the CS interestingly enough but from fellow volunteers (this isn't to throw shade at anyone, simply remarking how it felt). Now that a lot of people who were FHs during this time are now VTs I would like to hope this attitude has been shifted slightly and the FHs feel more welcome and appreciated for what they do, but i can't say for sure as i'm not a forum helper.

It's important to remember where you 'came from' and to appreciate how you felt in that position not too long ago.

I think there's two groups really,

People who joined when they were younger who are now older and left - i think i covered this situation already

People who are older already and could be good VT - to this i dont know the solution or answer (similar to MR really) since I am not of a mature age myself. I do think it might be a bit hard to join when you are older into a group of people a lot younger than yourself, i think it's the same reason my parent did not want to stay in student accommodation when she returned to uni a few years ago to do her masters. I think it's easier to be a mature FH than it is to be a mature VT as in pre-pandemic times the VTs went on more meets than the forum helpers and the FH role is also a bit more 'anonymous'. The VT meets were also more relaxed and less structured than the FH meets (results and UCAS training) and i can imagine someone a lot older than the oldest person there could feel maybe a little awkward socialising with a group of people half their age.

That's not to say mature FHs and VTs aren't welcome, they absolutely are - im just thinking of ideas that i could imagine being the case but of course i dont know for sure being only 22 myself.

I also think harrysbar brings up a separate valid point, one not necessarily tied to age but of FHs being undervalued. I felt that very strongly when i was a FH, not from the CS interestingly enough but from fellow volunteers (this isn't to throw shade at anyone, simply remarking how it felt). Now that a lot of people who were FHs during this time are now VTs I would like to hope this attitude has been shifted slightly and the FHs feel more welcome and appreciated for what they do, but i can't say for sure as i'm not a forum helper.

It's important to remember where you 'came from' and to appreciate how you felt in that position not too long ago

This thread is a very interesting read as someone who hasn't got the first clue how this site actually runs, I feel like I'm not meant to be here

Slightly off topic from the last few pages as I don't know enough to contribute, but which is your favourite forum on the site, and has your favourite changed over the years? (This question is to commemorate me discovering the forums homepage for the first time yesterday after 3 years of having an account and a year of active usage... )

This thread is a very interesting read as someone who hasn't got the first clue how this site actually runs, I feel like I'm not meant to be here

Slightly off topic from the last few pages as I don't know enough to contribute, but which is your favourite forum on the site, and has your favourite changed over the years? (This question is to commemorate me discovering the forums homepage for the first time yesterday after 3 years of having an account and a year of active usage... )

That seems to be the 2 options for most of the started-but-never-finished projects on this site. Instead they neither get binned nor progressed, and requests for updates are instead met with hostility.

Why do you think so many projects on this site are left in limbo instead of being completed or binned?

Hello all

My name is MR and I've been a member of the Volunteer Team for just over two years now!

I didn't realise it had been this long... So I thought, why not make an AMA?

So go ahead, Ask me Anything

Your role as volunteer is set out in your role description and this agreement starts when you begin your role. We hope that you will usually be able to volunteer with us for at least 3 hours per week so that we can each get the most from the volunteering experience. Please let us know if you would prefer a different arrangement.

We are flexible about when you volunteer but during very busy times it may be requested that you consider committing to volunteer on a particular day at a particular time (i.e. results day).

I'll answer why do most people leave first - because that one's easier.

When Announcements have been made from long standing volunteers about their departure, often its because IRL things are changing for them and they no longer have to time to spend on TSR any more. I can think of two recent SLs who stepped off the team shortly after getting married for instance.

I left because I got married to a street cat from another country that needed a green card but she got sick right after arriving in England and my time had to be dedicated to being her carer for a while, and picking up extra shifts to cover the fees of her lifelong medication as a result. If only TSR had paid me 💔

but for real I don't think any of us that have left recently left after getting married?

DTL did

An interesting conversation! Worth noting that there was one thing that surprised me, TSR does more or less expect (unless this has changed recently) a certain activity level from its volunteers, see below:

Furthermore:

There are certain exceptions and I tried to be as welcoming to deviation and lack of availability as possible, but this is the case as far as I know and it's what is used to form the basis of the difficult decision when deciding a team member is inactive. Has this changed recently?

As a less hard-hitting question, if you had to choose 1 celebrity to spend an entire day with, who would it be and why?

favourite dessert?