Volunteers become involved with
community composting for a variety of
reasons.
But they all want to do something positive. Every
positive single individual action helps. This is a
key Local Agenda 21 principle. Volunteers want
some social activity with people who share the
same ideals and vision. Many community composters
are also organic gardeners who want
large amounts of mulch.
Volunteers may be unemployed or retired or just
interested in extending their knowledge of composting;
recycling and gardening.
Volunteers may be promoted into part-time workers,
earning a small amount each week, which
some schemes may be able to finance out of their
recycling credits.
Making compost is very therapeutic and satisfying
and, apart from some people with physical disabilities,
can be enjoyed by everyone.
With any group of people you are bound to get
some who are more committed to the work than
others, or maybe they just have more time available
to do it. Conflicts and disagreements can
easily arise. Its not really within the scope of this
short piece to deal with that and anyway it goes
beyond my expertise However I have learnt a few
things along the way which may be of use.
If one person has overall responsibility it can
avoid a lot of potential for misunderstanding.
Everyone should have had the same training and
understand the working methods and aims of the
project. Everyone should be rewarded equally for
the work put in.
Sometimes if people are given more responsibility
and trust then they respond brilliantly, Becoming
aware of the whole process, involvement
in monitoring the composts temperature,
for instance, setting up wormeries
or their own bit of research, using
the compost for their own bit of garden,
all these may help.
Writing out a volunteers Agreement that
both parties sign up to ensures that everything
is made crystal clear - and well
worth doing. The volunteer bureau can
give more help and guidance.
Volunteer fatigue
Inevitably for some projects volunteers, or more
usually the lack of them is the main problem. The
same few people end up doing all the work and
with increasing amounts of material it becomes
too much like hard work for no return. Many projects
pay some people to do some of the work
from the income derived from sales and recycling
credits. As well as selling compost and mulch
you could be potting up plants to sell on open
days etc. It’s incredible the range of good plants
brought to compost sites! Don’t compost good
plants which you can divide or propagate from.
Pot them up bring them on and sell them at a
profit!
Instead of having weary volunteers - start
thinking about the employment opportunities.
Other Sources of income
Offer a collection service which you charge for.
This could be once a week or twice a year or as
people need it.
Provide a range of products, growing media for
seeds - made from leafmould and sand -for
young plants with added sieved compost.
Stronger mixes with larger proportions of compost
for potting on. Experiment with these on your own
plants first to build up confidence.
Raw wood chip can be used as a mulch for paths
and part rotted chippings for established plants
like shrubs and trees.
Woody material may be better sawn and stacked
as firewood for sale or food lengths sold for bean
poles or pea sticks etc.
Also don’t forget that your project may be able to
expand into completely new areas, use the expertise
of the group, it could be something the site
could accommodate, perhaps a garden demonstration
area, which could
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