This is probably not the type of comment you are used to dealing with on this site, but I do hope there might be someone out there who could advise me on where I could go from now. I am a trustee of a charity where the majority of board members have decided it would be far easier to get rid of me a volunteer than someone who is their employee. They have gone about their aim by instigating a campaign of hate, lies and deception against me and at the same time ignoring all the wrongdoings of a member of staff who by her own admission has been using charity funds for non charitable purposes and not working to the terms of her contract. The employee raised a grievance claiming that I 'bullied 'her. The trustees have, incredibly, after 6 months 'investigating' her claim anmd subsequent appeal, and after having said they could find no evidence to support it, decided to uphold her grievances. The Charity Commissioners, although hugely sympathetic with my plight, say they are unable to intervene in what they describe as an 'internal dispute'. The trustees say they don't have to supply me with the reasons why they upheld her complaints, just inform me that they have.
Where do I go from here? Please help!!!
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Speak to a good lawyer without delay, you should be able to find one who charges £5 for the initial 10 minutes, (sorry I cannot remember the name of the scheme this comes under) who will listen to what you have to say and advise you whether it is worth your while going on, and at least say what your rights are.
Once you let people know you are taking legal representation they usually back off. Do not back down, it is your reputation at stake.
Good luck
Unfortunately this persons plight is not a one off case and volunteer abuse does happe and regularly, sadly you have no rights whatsoever to any form of support or help if you are unpaid.
The advice of find legal support is ok if you have the funds available to engage a good lawyer - bearing in mind the organisation that is destroying your reputation will use charitble funds to fight their case.
Its about time government has introduced an indepedent service to deal with these employment conflicts for unpaid volunteers.
They reap the benifits of the volunteers work quick enough.
I agree entirely. I have been lucky enough to find a lawyer who has taken my case on a contingency basis, but as you say the trustees will play the upper hand by having access to the vast resources of the charity. There is so much more I could tell you about the underhand way these trustees have dealt with me but this is probably not the best place to do it. However, when all this is over which it will have to be at some stage, I will be lobbying for an independent service to deal with complaints from volunteers such as bullying and harassment. Unfortunately, the Charity Commission are unwilling to involve themselves in internal disputes in charities, even when the reputation of the charity is at risk.
Dear suprit
Thanks for your response and sorry that I have not acknowledged your supportive words before now. Would you let me know how you are getting on and I would very much like to speak to you off line.
R