Is this okay?

[nunu1987]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Maryland
Please tell me your opinion of this matter:
I have been volunteering, and doing a kind of internship(I don't know if that is what it is called since I did not receive school credits, and no time limit was specified at the beginning of it,) at a local small non-profit. The duration was for about eight months, doing several projects as a graphic designer. The organization is a small, three-yea-rold non-profit geared towards youth mentoring.
Although the experience itself has been good, I felt like I was taken advantage of, since I was refused a recommendation letter(I worked with the founder of the program to create a large number of promotional materials(hours and hours of crafts work, digital design, print design).
in fact I was the only graphic designer, and none of the volunteers she has are paid. I felt the work was too much and instead of it being an opportunity for training, I felt more like a volunteer, or even a paid employee.
So, when time constraints came up I let the lady know that my services may be interrupted for a short while. (Let her know repeatedly for a period of two months)
So she (having relied solely on me to volunteer freely, and not having any other replacements) gets extremely offended, writes a string of emails writing nothing but a negative feedback on my service). She refuses to write me anything.
Even a letter that is to recommend or refer me for future employment opportunity. So I get nothing, except wasted my free hours for eight months, having even used money and resources for several crafts and graphic design materials.
I feel taken advantage of, and defamed in a way, because when I asked politely for recommendation letter, all I get are critical remarks, that are extremely harsh, and unwarranted(this is a quote "Sit for a minute and think about the embarassment you have caused my organization...". Is this okay for a manager even at a non-profit to do this? I would have expected her to atleast acknowledge my service, and if she felt there were any problems she may also refer to it in a formal letter, but I just get absolutely NOTHING!
I have been really upset by this, and feel I can't even gain a good reference from this volunteer/intership experience.
Please if you have any advice for this situation, I would really appreciate. Thanks so much

 

[Proserpina]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Maryland
Please tell me your opinion of this matter:
I have been volunteering, and doing a kind of internship(I don't know if that is what it is called since I did not receive school credits, and no time limit was specified at the beginning of it,) at a local small non-profit. The duration was for about eight months, doing several projects as a graphic designer. The organization is a small, three-yea-rold non-profit geared towards youth mentoring.
Although the experience itself has been good, I felt like I was taken advantage of, since I was refused a recommendation letter(I worked with the founder of the program to create a large number of promotional materials(hours and hours of crafts work, digital design, print design).
in fact I was the only graphic designer, and none of the volunteers she has are paid. I felt the work was too much and instead of it being an opportunity for training, I felt more like a volunteer, or even a paid employee.
So, when time constraints came up I let the lady know that my services may be interrupted for a short while. (Let her know repeatedly for a period of two months)
So she (having relied solely on me to volunteer freely, and not having any other replacements) gets extremely offended, writes a string of emails writing nothing but a negative feedback on my service). She refuses to write me anything.
Even a letter that is to recommend or refer me for future employment opportunity. So I get nothing, except wasted my free hours for eight months, having even used money and resources for several crafts and graphic design materials.
I feel taken advantage of, and defamed in a way, because when I asked politely for recommendation letter, all I get are critical remarks, that are extremely harsh, and unwarranted(this is a quote "Sit for a minute and think about the embarassment you have caused my organization...". Is this okay for a manager even at a non-profit to do this? I would have expected her to atleast acknowledge my service, and if she felt there were any problems she may also refer to it in a formal letter, but I just get absolutely NOTHING!
I have been really upset by this, and feel I can't even gain a good reference from this volunteer/intership experience.
Please if you have any advice for this situation, I would really appreciate. Thanks so much

Nothing illegal happened. She isn't obliged to give you a letter of recommendation, or anything at all.

I think you perhaps have an unrealistic expectation of what you're entitled to.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Maryland
Please tell me your opinion of this matter:
I have been volunteering ... Although the experience itself has been good, I felt like I was taken advantage of, since I was refused a recommendation letter ...

... I felt more like a volunteer, or even a paid employee. ...

So she ... writes a string of emails writing nothing but a negative feedback on my service ...

... I feel taken advantage of, and defamed in a way, because when I asked politely for recommendation letter, all I get are critical remarks, that are extremely harsh, and unwarranted(this is a quote "Sit for a minute and think about the embarassment you have caused my organization...". Is this okay for a manager even at a non-profit to do this? ...

Negative feedback and critical remarks can be defamatory under some circumstances - but only if what is communicated is false and communicated to someone other than the one being criticized. Defamation requires third party publication. If the manager of the non-profit is directing all of the negative comments and critical remarks to you alone, you have not been defamed.

What you have written appears to indicate that the non-profit took advantage of you and your design skills, and a positive letter of recommendation reflecting your volunteer efforts would have been nice, but I do not see from what you have written that any laws were broken (or even bent) and it does not appear you have any legal action of any kind to pursue.

You said the experience with the non-profit itself was a good one. I would concentrate on that and on what you learned from the experience (including the lesson that sometimes managers can be jerks ), and move on.

 

[cbg]

Even if you had been an employee and not a volunteer, you would not be entitled by law to a letter of recommendation.

 

[nunu1987]

Nothing illegal happened. She isn't obliged to give you a letter of recommendation, or anything at all.

I think you perhaps have an unrealistic expectation of what you're entitled to.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[nunu1987]

Negative feedback and critical remarks can be defamatory under some circumstances - but only if what is communicated is false and communicated to someone other than the one being criticized. Defamation requires third party publication. If the manager of the non-profit is directing all of the negative comments and critical remarks to you alone, you have not been defamed.

What you have written appears to indicate that the non-profit took advantage of you and your design skills, and a positive letter of recommendation reflecting your volunteer efforts would have been nice, but I do not see from what you have written that any laws were broken (or even bent) and it does not appear you have any legal action of any kind to pursue.

You said the experience with the non-profit itself was a good one. I would concentrate on that and on what you learned from the experience (including the lesson that sometimes managers can be jerks ), and move on.

Thanks.
I would have taken anything even is she had put whatever she felt i had problems with while volunteering along with the things I actually did do right.

Yes this manager is a jerk as you have said quincy, no warmth, kindness, nothing. Especially to her approach with volunteers(she will not go far with this organization mistreating her volunteers, that is the dumbest thing she can do) I have been really upset by this, but I do appreciate the experience of working with the others, and the youth which were involved in the monthly activities, I do not take away from what this organization is doing, just the way the manager deals with people.

I really appreciate your feedback.
nunu

 

[nunu1987]

Even if you had been an employee and not a volunteer, you would not be entitled by law to a letter of recommendation.

thanks for your feedback, cbg.

 

[quincy]

Thanks.
I would have taken anything even is she had put whatever she felt i had problems with while volunteering along with the things I actually did do right.

Yes this manager is a jerk as you have said quincy, no warmth, kindness, nothing. Especially to her approach with volunteers(she will not go far with this organization mistreating her volunteers, that is the dumbest thing she can do) I have been really upset by this, but I do appreciate the experience of working with the others, and the youth which were involved in the monthly activities, I do not take away from what this organization is doing, just the way the manager deals with people.

I really appreciate your feedback.
nunu

Thank you for the thanks, nunu1987.

Everyone appreciates appreciation, which is one reason why I find your situation a sad one.

I imagine if this manager cannot show appreciation to those who are volunteering their time to help the organization, she will soon find herself without volunteers - and in addition she may find herself looking for a new job.

If there is anyone else in the organization who you worked closely with who can write you a positive letter of recommendation, you might consider approaching this person for one. These letters can be just as effective as one coming from a manager (especially when the manager was difficult).

Good luck.