This question hit me squarely between the eyes when I contacted a home for people with special needs with a view to volunteering.
The receptionist who queried my suitability was very curt, in fact I experienced her as quite rude. Here I was, prepared to assist when every publication I read screams out for people to assist in myriad areas, and here she was blatantly querying my motives/suitability and general all round 'niceness'. I eventually stammered out that I actually wasn't sure and what did she mean anyway? She took an audibly big breath and told me I was the third person to call that day with a view to volunteering and appeared to have as little nous as the other two. I was about to hang up when I realised that we were both handling what could be a potentially win/win situation very badly and resolved to put some of my many hours of training into practice.
My approach changed and I simply agreed that there was certainly a great deal more involved in volunteering than most of us are aware of, asking for a time when I could come through and hear exactly how they operated and what their needs were. She immediately softened and apologised for her earlier attitude, stating that many people called and virtuously offered their services, stipulating what they could do for the home and how they would do it. Seldom did they actually realise the boot was on the other foot and it was more a case of learning what they could from and about the people they wanted to help and then taking the time to do just that.
Having set a date and time, I hung up the phone with a slightly less 'virtuous' attitude. Can I be of benefit to this organisation? I don't actually know, but I am eager to find out now that I have had a slight attitude adjustment!