A great debate this...<br><br>Ian is right - we cant and should not make any plea for leniency from Ofcom on account of being volunteer based or being skint. We sign up to manage our stations against a legal obligation to abide by the regulations - whether fair or not. If we dont have that capacity we shouldn't apply for a licence, or expect to keep one. We might be a third sector but we are not third class. This does not require staff, it requires well delivered, common sense training and support and something else...<br>
<br>For any station to thrive and fulfil the obligations that it took on to get the licence, part of the volunteer induction and support HAS to be about realising that being a community radio volunteer is, or should be, far more than turning up and playing a few of your favourite tunes to your mates. Volunteers have to realise, as many do, that they have an obligation to the station to help it thrive - and if nothing else - comply with the regulations. If it is beyond the capacity of the volunteer or the station to make sure that this is the case, then please dont drag down the sector by turning 'volunteerism' into a by-word for amateurism. Indeed, most thriving stations that I know have a substantial number of volunteers engaged off air - in the management and administration of the station.<br>
<br>Of course scarce resources are a major issue - all I'm saying is that stations who find regulatory compliance a problem should do all they can to cut their cloth to fit in terms of who they let on air. The risk of not doing so is all too clear.<br>
<br>OK - I'm a tad biased but there is some good advice on this issue here <a href="http://www.communityradiotoolkit.net/the-toolkit-handbook/toolkit-chapter-five/managing-volunteers/">http://www.communityradiotoolkit.net/the-toolkit-handbook/toolkit-chapter-five/managing-volunteers/</a> and here <a href="http://www.communityradiotoolkit.net/the-toolkit-handbook/toolkit-chapter-ten/volunteer-support/">http://www.communityradiotoolkit.net/the-toolkit-handbook/toolkit-chapter-ten/volunteer-support/</a><br>
(requires a login)<br><br>As a sector we make extraordinary radio that does fantastic things in our communities (often with sod all resources), please let's try to avoid giving our detractors ammunition...<br><br>Over and out<br>
<br>bests,<br><br>Phil<br><br>-- <br><font size="1">Phil Korbel<br>Director<br>0161 237 5454<br><br>Radio Regen is a community, media and urban regeneration charity <br>A company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales No. 3753832 <br>
Registered office: 12 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 1JF <br>Registered Charity No. 1077763 <br><a href="http://www.radioregen.org/" target="_blank">www.radioregen.org</a><br><a href="http://www.communityradiotoolkit.net/" target="_blank">www.communityradiotoolkit.net</a><br>
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