Volunteers

I just came across a phrase I have never heard before.  It probably has more to do with my sheltered life than it being rare.  The phrase was “volunteer friendly.”  The author did not like the phrase as he thought it could imply that volunteers were dumb.  Equipment or processes could be simplified so that even a volunteer could do it or understand it.
His last paragraph was “I don’t believe we mean any harm by using the phrase volunteer friendly, but I believe we can effectively dismiss the phrase from our vocabulary. Instead, let’s focus on being more friendly to our volunteers. Let’s commit to honour our volunteers this week and every week by being clear and improving our training, processes and communication” (training, processes and communication was what he was talking about).
I must admit I have a soft spot for volunteers.  The term itself implies that a person does not need to do a thing.  They can walk away at any time.  If they are unhappy they can say “blow you Jack” (which is most effective if my name is actually Jack) and leave.  If an organization needs volunteers, someone walking away is not necessarily a real good outcome.
Volunteering Australia defines volunteering as “‘Volunteering is time willingly given for the common good and without financial gain.”  I do like that these days I only need to type into a browser “volunteer, meaning” and it gives me heaps of definitions from dictionaries and organizations.  Having a book in front of me or actually going to a dictionary and looking it up is way more impressive.  But I do like that I do not need to leave my seat these days.  Besides, looking up a dictionary can seem more difficult if I do not know my alphabet.  “this dictionary starts with A.  Why does it not start with T?  Oh well I’ll make the best of their method.”
Having said I like I can do it online, I am not so keen on it when it says “Did you mean…”  It mostly does that when I have spelt a word incorrectly.  Happens to me a lot actually.  It probably explains why I do not play many word games.  How something is spelt to me should be spelt the way it sounds every time.  For example the word “castle.”  Some people make it sound like there is a r in it.  I thought I would say that to set half against half while I quietly exited.
Volunteers can be a skittish lot.  Being in charge of them can be a real balancing act.  It can’t afford to be like, I have my way and you have yours, and never the twain shall meet.  Ways have to meet.  The volunteer needs to be happy, while I maintain my authority.  That can be like a wisdom of Solomon thing sometimes and managing volunteers can be like herding cats.