Staff

So why does a volunteer organisation need staff anyway?

Volunteers usually come in for an hour or two, then disappear again. Staff, who are usually rostered on for 4-5 hour shifts, are there for continuity and to ensure things run smoothly for the whole day, even when volunteers might disappear off to class early, or arrive late.

Staff are also there to train volunteers and have had Food Safety training, and sometimes First Aid certificates.

In the café, we like to keep our coffee style consistent, so café staff are there to use the espresso machine. They also coordinate the space and train volunteers.

Who are the staff members?

Staff are almost always students and have often gained their hospitality experience largely in Wholefoods.

How many people can say 'I ran a restaurant when I was at uni'? It's seems astounding sometimes, but that's exactly what we do everyday.

It's one of the amazing things about Wholefoods - students come here with no skills, and by the time they leave they've gained amazing skills that will set them up for life.

Doesn't having some paid staff make things unfair?

Wholefoods tries hard to maintain our non-hierarchical structure. As such, the Collective strongly encourages all paid staff to volunteeer 1 hour for every 4 hours worked.

If you come and volunteer, the ultimate aim is for you to eventually be able to do everything a paid staff member does. Whether it be making coffee for a long line of customers, or making a whole salad from scratch, the goal is skill-sharing and to make you as much a part of the team as anyone else.

What jobs do staff have?

We have kitchen staff who include kitchen hands, servery hands, cake cooks, dish pigs and the chef.

In the café we have café hands who...do everything that needs to be done in the café!

There are also 3 coordinators; a Cafe Coordinator, Kitchen Coordinator, and Administration Assistant. Coordinators aren't 'in charge' or above anyone else; they just coordinate certain areas of Wholefoods while reporting to and taking direction from Collective.

-- JeanetteDeFoe - 23 Feb 2009

-- HelenaPuszka - 13 Feb 2010