To wonder why more people don't help at PTA events ... and what would encourage more people to do so ...

[onthebus]

In common with many other schools, our PTA had its annual summer fayre a couple of weeks ago. The school has quite a small PTA (about 6 people) and every year for this event they send out a note asking for volunteers for people to help set up/run stalls/clear away. Every year about 2 people volunteer and the PTA then run themselves ragged trying to do everything (and generally failing).

I'm not on the PTA by the way, though I do offer to help, and it strikes me that this really can't be the best way for anyone.

I understand that some people don't help because they are looking after small children/are at work/think the PTA are too scary/just don't want to but I'm really surprised that so few do. I did suggest to PTA members that if they actually asked people rather than sending out a note they might get more helpers but they are loathe to do this.

So ... I think most people appreciate that funds raised by the PTA are worthwhile. If you do/don't help out at PTA events, why is that, and what do you think would encourage you/other people to do so?

Motherinferior I love people like you! Though about the playground equipment - we have provided funds for some much used and loved playground equipment over the last few years, and I am sure it does help: it is extra bits in the playground that enable children to let off steam, and perhaps are a bit calmer in class than otherwise. Each class uses it on a rota system, so most/all children get to use it at least once a week (if they want to)

Sadly we don't send out thank you cards after the event. After the pressure of a big event like a summer fete none of the committee members are up to sending out thank you letters afterwards. We do however make sure that everyone is thanked by name in a final newsletter.

I did 4 hours at the school fete this year and last year. I also made 60 scones for the British stall. I work full time as well. The other mothers who helped on the stall with baking and running it also have full time jobs. What I wanted to know was, where were all the SAHMs? Or do they feel that they do enough during the week and deserve the weekend off, which is fairy nuff?

What do the funds raised go towards?
In the case of our school I have absolutely no idea despite the regular xmas, spring,summer fayres, there are endless letters about volunteering and donating but nothing about what is done with the funds.

God I LOVE my PTA - we ran the school disco last night and had fun! It is not 'cliquey' at our school - just a dozen or so hard working people (mums mainly, but a couple of dads). We have social nights, go out....... it is my social life.

I think it may seem cliquey because we are quite a close bunch - but only because of what we do iyswim. Everyone is welcome, no offer of help turned down - we spend ages trying to get others to help. So many people don't help, don't even try, so yea, we do things our own way which may come across as over-bearing, but that is because we have to do it our way as no other bugger will do it!

Maybe I am lucky. But you do have to make the effort.

I would willingly help out. I have offered in the past. I am more than willing to be dogsbody or gofer at any event they ask, but I can't do all the meetings, coffee mornings and all the other social events that seem to act as a glue to stick the PTA together. I am at work and my free-time is very limited. I turned up at the fete once to help but I was simply in the way I think It isn't tha it's cliquey simply that you need to be around all the time to get into the vibe of it all I think.

I have made cakes!

I'm put off helping the PTA at DS's school as it's run by the mother of a girl in DS's class who comes across as really, really unfriendly. We live opposite her house, my DS and her DD are good friends, we see each other every day in school and yet the bitch she has never once smiled at, greeted or in any way acknowledged me or some of the other mums. There are some mums she's very friendly towards, which makes it all the more obvious.
I helped at DS's first school before we moved, and really enjoyed it. I was working full time then, so felt like it was a good way to show my support of the school.

iceandsliceplease - perhaps she is just too busy doing PTA stuff to smile and needs more help??!!!

Or is just rude of course...........

Just because someone is a SAHM, it doesn't mean they have more time available (or obligation) to help out than someone who is working. They might have partners who work long/unpredictable hours and so find it hard to commit specific times. They might have other commitments.

Some people are natural joiners, they like organising events. Or they might have very specific skills that actively benefit the school. Other people may simply prefer not to be actively involved, but still buy raffle tickets/pay money for non uniform days/sponsor people doing things that they would be doing for fun anyway/buy overpriced books at school book sales.

And, of course, some PTA's spend money on their own personal little interests and it's debatable whether the children really want or need these things.

Our PTA is a clique. The current committee have wised up and realised this and trying to change this. Good luck to them. But they'll have wait until the current chair and deputy exit.

I help at the infant disco, I bake cakes, I donate generous prizes for raffles ( for the PTA to use it for their own purposes ... Sigh).

I won't join. I do help in the Garden club and another committee on improving the school. Much friendlier and happy if you can only spare a few hours a term.

It does depend on the demographic of the school as well. We have a tiny committee. We have tried and tried to get people interested, including holding surgeries, befriending people, fb pages etc, but it's like coming up against a brick wall sometimes. Yet the school we were at before, in a different area altogether had a thriving and very middle class yummy mummy PTA. However, I know which one I prefer...

I love our PTA, we are good friends and socialise a lot outside of the pta, but I think the last thing we are is intimidating/cliquey. Three of us are also parent governors (I'm vice chair) because it does seem to be the case that the few do most of what's needed - but not for want of trying, and certainly not because we have some kind of power/control freak complex going on.

People seem to appreciate the events though when they are carried out - they just don't want to help.

Silverstar2 she may be very stressed, and if I was feeling charitable, I'd assume that was it. But I'm not feeling charitable after she blanked me again today when her DD was talking to me. The cow.

Our PTA is vile, run by smug, self-serving, overbearing women with too much time on their hands.
They revel in self-glorification, they sang at the Summer Fair a couple of years ago, yes, the Mums, not the children.
They even tried to sing the descant to one of the carols at the childrens' carol concert.
It wouldn't be so bad if they could actually bloddy well sing but they can't!!

Our PTA is great. I'm not on it, I don't think they need any more members, I don't have time. I do help out at fetes, Christmas fairs etc, run stalls and make cakes. They are always very grateful, its well organised and everyone's help is appreciated. Its definitely not cliquey.

I have a sneaking suspicion that LEAs starve schools of cash in 'well off areas' knowing the PTA will make up the difference.

In private schools, I genuinely just don't get fundraising at all. Just send us the bill FGS and leave us alone!

"I did suggest to PTA members that if they actually asked people rather than sending out a note they might get more helpers but they are loathe to do this."

you were right, they were wrong, anyone who's ever had to campaign would know this,suggest you ask again, good luck!

Fair enough! She does sound unfriendly.

one of the clique's husbands ran a mini-marathon and got parents and their families to sponsor him in aid of PTA funds. She collected the money in but never handed it over to the PTA

Has this woman's son recently acquired an x-box by any chance?

I'd gladly pay a surcharge to avoid having to listen to our PTA 'choir'!

I think asking is always a good thing. It makes people feel special and needed. If people run themselves ragged doing it themselves, it just makes them look even more 'alpha' and like they didn't need you in the first place. The more people do it all themselves, the more it looks like they can, so why bother to help if they love it so much. I was asked to help out this year on the book stall and I did (despite having 2yr old twins, dh looked after them). I felt great about being asked.

I didn't because the PTA meeting were always on a Tuesday night which is one of the nights I work.

Also the mums and dads that go were the ones that talked to each other in the playground and didn't include anyone else so I thought best leave them to it then!!

nojustification if your PTA is a charity, the money cannot sit there forever, it needs to be used.

I think it's easy to say that the PTA are a clique, that they are uppity and unfriendly. But that's because you don't know them.

Next time some of you lazy buggers are complaining about the PTA, think about what some school would be like without them. You'd all be complaining without the money raised by them.

I'm not a 'lazy bugger' - I have a very busy full-time job, do voluntary work for a disabled childrens' charity and am doing a Master degree.
I have not become involved in our school PTA though do support fund-raising events - especially with cash - isn't that the point?
Some of us have other things to do!

I'm afraid it's precisely that attitude of calling the rest of us 'lazy buggers' that always made me swear I would have nothing to do with the PTA. I do stuff, now, because I'm asked. Nicely. By people I like.

And the beer helps.