Country Lane Caretakers

Get the right help at the right time.

 

Let me preface this by saying I have been a volunteer for community environmental conservation organisations and disability services for many years.

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I have volunteered in my spare time, as a student, as well as with potential employers, for agreed periods as a way to contribute to the community, gain practical skills and so that we can assess if we may be compatible as employee / employer.

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These volunteer positions are organised, official and legally recognised, where volunteers are provided for in a workplace capacity. Volunteers can also access official recognition for their services that can count towards Certificate I,II,II & IV qualifications. Volunteering is a legitimate way to help train potential employees as well as help providing vital community services.

 

Volunteers and interns are not meant to replace work normally done by paid employees, nor be considered part of reducing labour costs, nor “be required” to attend (rostered) as part of normal operations.

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If they are rostered and required... they are not volunteers

 

 

Volunteers have a wonderful place in our culture. For many reasons allowing people onto your property is a social, cultural, educational, mental health and experiential enhancement beyond calculation.

 

Volunteers in times of crisis are the very backbone of our culture and society, and if  “being Australian” is one thing… it is our culture of volunteerism. Everyone can be “Aussie”, just volunteer! Remember the "Mud Army" during the Brisbane floods? The RFS in fire season?... SES in storm season?... where would we all be without them? There are countless examples of where volunteering is just the right thing to do.

 

This kind of volunteerism is only sustainable in the short term or recovery phase as a community instigated action or activity. People just want to help! Having some volunteers fix a fence in one paddock to keep prized stock in, is one thing, but to use them to repair all fences on your entire property is another. Having volunteers clean up a public road is fine, but to have them repair your major infastructure... again, is different.

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Use your local contractors, help the community recover, by keeping jobs local!

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Don’t confuse volunteerism and experiential cultural travel with business.

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If your business model, can't take out appropriate insurances or relies on volunteers and unpaid labour to make ends meet in non-emergency times, or to turn a profit, then that's probably a poor business model.

 

If you rely on unpaid workers to operate your business, then both you and the unpaid worker is diminished in value, and is ultimately unsustainable. Some use volunteers and unpaid workers to the point of legal exploitation... so where is the line?

 

If you genuinely want to train locals, or encourage young people to join your industry, there are an array of traineeships, internships, apprenticeships, all full backed by government and educational organisations that come with funding, incentives and other financial support… so look into those.

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You also need to have adequate insurance to cover stock, and infrastructure as well. property owners need to try to be as self sufficient as possible.if you cant afford the insurance...you should consider your long term sustainability.

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There is an argument that local businesses should try and employ locals where they can. You can access training schemes and wages, training support, tax deductions and other options that help keep money and jobs local, provides employment and helps sustain and enhance locals and their families.

 

Bringing in unpaid workers (for a tap, a power point and Wi-fi) just helps reduce the local population. Are you helping drain experienced employable locals from already struggling communities? Employ a local whose family needs the small amount they charge for "sitting" your property.

 

In these difficult times of drought, water shortages, fires and other challenges, the best solution is to be part of a holistic solution that involves the community.

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Until you can find a local... utilise a professional caretaker.

 

There are a range of professional sitter, carers, managers, overseers and a host of others, former property owners, that have a wealth of life long experience and provide fee-for-service options that can meet your need in price and range of services.

 

From sitters to look after a home or animals, to carers for stock, to general maintenance home and farm care to station managers and other professionals.

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Play your part in strengthening local communities!

 

Don’t hand over skilled work, to unskilled labour.

 

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