[yellowted]

i have been volunteering as part of a group of mental health service users for the past two years, we have 2 organisations who mentor us, i am the secretary, have produced all the policies to date, set the group up with a logo/ theme which runs through the paperwork, bought everything to set up the office space we borrow from one of our mentors, designed a leaflet, bought and put together an advertising display to take to places to recruit members etc, designed a power point presentation which wowed our mentors board of govenors and more recently i have become a mentor for a social work student who is on placement with us.
the groups activities are all based around giving a voice to service users and empowering them in their recovery.
the group never contemplate adopting any of the stuff i do , they just go with it.yet they adopt things others do no questions asked, just a vote!
recently one of the mentors has really set out to disempower me within the group, organising the student to start when she knew i would not be around, saying the things have never been formally agreed so should change to what she says, and now because i have stated that things need to be adopted or someone else needs to change them , and i told the mentor the truth about her always changing things or giving tasks i had been given to do to someone else and me not being told,etc, it turns out that two members and the mentor are holding a meeting to take away my role as mentor to the student!!!
I have talked to the mentors boss, she enlightened me of the mentors reputation for changing things un necesserily and doing before thinking, but this does not help the fact she is doing it with the group when they are all vulnerable and look up to her.
i am the backbone of the group as most are happy doing just tiny things now and then, but i feel soo upset and angry that they are treating me like crap and because the mentor says i am acting childish and upsetting her!!! they do not seem to see that her and them backing her over me is upsetting me, after all the group is supposed to be about peer support, empowerment etc not ego building of a mentor!I have sent an email stating my resignation because it is bringing up feelings i do not need or like at present. but still feel like crap!

[Secretum]

((yellow))

I would be upset, too. In fact, I'm getting kind of angry right now, detached from the situation as I am, about that sort of injustice.

They shouldn't have treated you like that. Kudos to you for being strong enough to resign. Hopefully you can find another volunteer position elsewhere, where people recognize you as an equal and allow you to make a difference with your great ideas. Everyone deserves respect.

[yellowted]

thank you Secretum