I am a 15F and I am part of this virtually communicative nonprofit where you get service hours for creating cards for the selected them of the month. They are cards for like certain matters like cancer awareness month, pediatric awareness month, Alzheimer’s awareness month, etc. They have a new theme every two months. I ended up creating 100 cards for the theme of the month which obviously took a lot of efforts and took a lot of time out of my day as a very busy high school student. The nonprofit had sent me a pamphlet of the requirements and guidelines for the selected theme of the month. (So keep in mind they voluntarily sent the requirements I had to do and they confirmed that they were running this volunteer opportunity for the month). So after I finished my 100 cards (took me a month to finish), I ended up trying to find the progress form to confirm what I had completed and I attempted to send out the cards I made (which is impossible to do without the progress form). I emailed them saying that the progress form was closed for me and I told them that I had completed 100 cards and I need to submit them. They send me this lowkey careless and kind of dismissive email where they said something along the lines of “Yeah sorry we changed our minds and you actually cant submit all those cards you made. You wont even be able to submit those cards or claim service hours for them at all.” They also provided very little reasoning to this which genuinely aggravated me because mind you they didn’t even send me a notice that they halted the submissions or anything and they wasted my time? Why would they send out the opportunity and guidelines if they weren’t even planning on it? Anyways, after wasting my time making those 100 cards dedicated to kids in underserved communities, I feel very upset about the fact that the nonprofit is holding absolutely no accountability for their actions and they didn’t even try to make some type of compromises for me? Does anyone know what I can email them back to hold them accountable and let them know what they did is absolutely ridiculous and irresponsible? I have been volunteering with them for quite a while too and have like 200+ service hours dedicated towards the nonprofit which makes it even more sad. Id be fine if they at least confirmed the hours I made.
NTA. You followed the rules they gave you and put in a ton of time, so it makes sense that you’re frustrated. It’s pretty unprofessional for them to change things without warning and then shrug it off like it’s nothing. You didn’t blow up at anyone, you just asked how to fix it. They’re the ones who dropped the ball here, not you.
NTA as long as you followed the requirements they sent you in written documentation they are in the wrong. This sounds like a situation where you may need to get an adult involved to help advocate for you. Most charities have some kind of board – a formal letter complaint which includes a copy of the info they sent and a point by point detailing of how the cards you made meet said requirements would probably be a start. Threaten to go public with it – ie tell them that if they do not make this right you will drag their name through the mud in the media. A charity treating a 15 year old volunteer this way will not play well for them with the public.
I have a question. When you say you were creating cards what exactly are you doing? Like trading cards? Greeting Cards? Playing cards?
NTA
No matter what it appears you were trying to put something better into the world and not for selfish reasons. I think that’s enough to say NTA
NTA – Keep all communication in writing and show it to your school counselor. I am assuming this is for school and the need to complete service hours to graduate.
NTA
Based on OP’s response, the process was followed and the not for profit pulled the rug out.
OP, you may not be able to influence the decision at this point. My advice is to write a *calm* explanation of the events that lead to your taking on the project, your past history of completing these tasks and your disappointment in discovering the project has been cancelled after you completed the work. Ask if there is something you missed that would have told you mid-project that it was no longer active so as to not waste more time. You could conclude by asking if there is some room for service hours to be applied if even in part.
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>I ended up trying to find the progress form
Were you supposed to be completing this form as you made progress? If you had downloaded the form before beginning the task, would that have helped them know someone has committed to the project?
No you only submit the progress form AFTER you complete everything so you can get access to submitting everything.
The main reason why they didn’t let me submit was because they messed up something on their end. It had nothing to do with me at all. It’s just that I wish they would have told me earlier or at least confirmed my service hours for doing it at least. Any suggestions of what I can email them back to let them know about their ridiculous actions or at least get them to sign my form?
What was the reason they didn’t allow you to submit? What was the “something” they messed up on?
Also, when are the submission deadlines? You state it took you a month to complete, but they have themes of the month. But then you say the theme of the “month” changes every two months. Even then, when you still have to send them off, they need to organize and then send out/distribute the cards, it may be too late to still fit in the theme when your just now asking for the progress form halfway through the month.
Non profits can be disorganized, especially coordinating work with people virtually. I am confused how making cards is volunteer work? How does a card help an undeserved community? Are they a registered non profit? What services do they provide? I am a little suspicious of the whole service model.
It sounds like they are not a good fit for your service hours and I would find another opportunity and make sure you tell them you need to do service hours and that they are communicative and organized.
NTA – Very disorganized folks wasted your time. That sucks.
I work for a very large corporation and we are doing charity work this month. I got an invite to join a call by Goodera to do something regarding resume reading/editing. They decided at the last minute that I would be assembling flashcards? Yesterday’s event was similar to yours: Do cards for kids with autism.
First, good on you. You should be proud of yourself for doing this and it’s unfair that they changed the terms of the agreement.
If you feel comfortable doing so, I recommend calling and having a discussion with the rejector. A lot of things can get lost in email communications. You may at least be able to get a recommendation of any other organization that they know of that may take it.
NTA. Is there anyone else you can communicate with at the nonprofit? Maybe another person at the organization would be more understanding of the time and effort you put in.
INFO-what was the deadline for the cards to be submitted and do they actually create a physical product? Because if you’re saying theme months and it took you a month to finish them…it sounds like you were too late.
NTA but what were the cards for?