Feeling taken for granted

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Hi:
For a few years, I volunteered once a month at special tour for individuals with autism and their families because I am really passionate about this area. As an autistic adult, I thought being involved would make a bigger difference and it did for a while. However, the company on the tours

1. Had a set of rules for its employees and volunteers
2. Though it was allowed in the beginning, the company stopped letting me give information to the families. I could only talk to them one on one. Otherwise, let the related staff give the main information
3. The staff started blowing me off and started acting very condescending

Why do you think you can not be better than people deserve? Surely that means that you will never be better than any of these people? I had a uni tutor that tried to bully the autistic students in the class, I ended up complaining, now they have added autism in to their diversity training programs. Usually with bosses like that it is best to make a complaint, but yeah, people are not always going to do what’s best for you. You will have to raise the problem somehow.

This company, who I volunteered is supposed to provide a tour for individuals on the spectrum and I volunteered because I had experience in this area as well as autistic. So I went to share my experiences and feedback. Still, I feel they didn't have my best interests at heart because they have their own agenda. Rather, I now see they are more interested in exploiting those individuals and their families on the tours so they can make a sales pitch.

The impersonal and mechanical characteristics of an organizational machine can be misunderstood in a volunteer context. As a result, it can be surprising to find that one is considered just a cog.

Capitalism is the kiss of death.

I wouldn't call those people "rats" per se, I would say they are more or less just doing their job just for the paycheck and nothing else. Being in a professional autistic group I have learned that the original people that made said place or company could have all the best intentions in the world but, unless you perfectly screen every person to see if they have the same ideals(which the majority do not) the company would just fail before it even began because of no staff.

I have felt taken for granted and felt that my complaints or issues with my group wasn't being taken seriously and almost left(actually I would've but, other things prevent me from doing so). You can try talking to the boss but I will say there is a fair chance he won't be able to do anything about it without taking a big risk monetary wise. If you do go talk to the boss and nothing happens then the only thing left is to stay and get what you can out of it or just leave and let things go on. Sometimes there are situations in which there is nothing you can do to help.

"There is no way of proving your point to someone whose income or position depend upon believing the contrary."
- Sydney Smith
The world would be different beyond recognition if not for unscrupulous greed, resistance to change, and obsolete busy work.

I had a friend who took me for granted. She used me and only wanted money from me. She wouldn't call me for months and than she'd phone me as her birthday approached.

That's terrible Cockney and they were not your friend for sure,

However, we are talking about companies and organizations that supposedly raise "Autism Awareness and Autism Acceptance" by offering accommodations like airport tours. This issue here is that they allow people on the spectrum to be involved as an outside volunteer but take for granted
1. The effort
2. The dedication
3. The hard work
4. The time
5. The input

Yet, the people who work at the company are taken for granted by
1. Not being allowed to have a voice
2. Not being taken seriously
3. Not being respected as a person by having other members constantly being criticized, condescending and reprimanded for this or that.
4.Not showing any gratitude]
5. They blow them off

I left the airport tours because things eventually started getting toxic and especially this year.

I'm always surprised to hear that volunteers are getting pushed around and treated badly. I'd have thought that the only thing that allows that to happen in a paid job is the employee's fear of losing their income, and that most volunteers would override the management or just quit if the organisation didn't deal with them respectfully. If I were to donate my time to somebody else's project, I'd be mindful that I was doing them a favour and I'd feel that "beggars can't be choosers." But clearly it doesn't work that way for a lot of people.