To ask how you encourage people to help at school events?

[JohnCusacksWife]

Just that really....we have a school roll of just under 250 but can only ever muster the same 10 or so helpers for fundraising events. How do we engage and enthuse other parents to help, even for an hour or two? We've tried everything we can think of but to no avail. At this rate our fundraising will diminish which means no food/gifts at Christmas parties, no leavers do, no IT purchases or major sports kit for the school. All advice is much appreciated!

I think that you need to challenge the perceptions that people have. Our PTA is not run by sahms who 'get more out of it than the children do'. What a load of self entitled old crap.

Would write more but about to get into the shower as I am about to go to work 50 miles away and guess what I'm the Secretary

The problem op is that a lot of people are lazy and hide behind the clique excuse. Just ask them, don't let everyone freeload. Thankfully reading this our parents are really committed in comparison.

Adding in a range of timings has worked much better for ours. Eg there are two big events per year - Christmas and summer fetes.

For the last few years, there has been a coffee morning to prepare the stuff for the stalls (put sweets in jars, labels on bears etc). This year there were only a couple of volunteers and after a bit of passive aggressive emailing, the pta decided to add an evening coffee event as well, and a rep did open house from 6-9 offering mulled wine. This got a fair few more volunteers.

Our school allocates an event to each year group to organise/run (with support from the PTA). So Y1 it's the Xmas fayre, y6 organise their own leavers do, y5 do junior disco etc. we have an instruction sheet for each event which lists the typical things that need to be organised and local contacts for stuff like Djs and catering then we jut have to get on with it. Yes, there is still a reliance on the core contingent for some things but it does encourage a wider range of parents to participate.

I also think the perception that parents are freeloading if they don't help is a problem.

Many of them probably won't care either way of would rather just give a cheque at the start of the year.

Others might like to help, but cannot manage it with childcare, other caring responsibilities or work. They're it being unreasonable, they just gave different priorities on which the PTA probably doesnt feature.

I don't volunteer for the PTA because I'm a working lp.

None of the lp friends I know at school volunteer, lack of babysitters and / or work prevents it.

Agree with the cliquey thing. I tried to join the pta with another mum and we were told by the already established group of parents 'don't worry about coming to other meetings we do all that' so thought stuff you! They also hang around in the playground together and exclusively only have play dates with each others children then complain loudly to each other no one helps at events. Perhaps if they were more approachable we would.

I think a good idea is a list to parents of everything the pta events have funded this year. I have no clue what goes on ir how much they raise and what they do with it.

Another issue is I'm and single parent and can't man and stall or set up an event whilst watching my youngest dd (she is a nightmare!). If I had the option to do prep stuff at home that would he easier

Totally agree tobysmum - it's so easy to use the hackneyed old clique excuse. I am the chair of my pta and didn't know any of the other members of the committee until I joined - they aren't particularly good friends now, so no clique there. The previous committee was the same.

It's easy to say that parents don't really care, but without the c£10k per year our pta raise, there would be no iPads, no school leaver events, no music lessons for year 4s, no smart boards, no proper surface in the playground, no trip to the panto and no school buses for the residentials. We also subsidise parents who can't afford trips.

Our ht transparently manages the school budget totally appropriately, but to suggest that schools have big budgets is absurd.

I hate hate hate chairing our PTA and I really hate the fundraising events, but the money we have raised makes a massive difference and differentiates us from many other local schools.

We are very very low on volunteers but I can't complain because the parent body help massively by turning up and spending cash.

Things that have helped include being grovelling grateful, remembering to thank people profusely for anything they can offer, speaking to new parents at induction days, making sure everyone gets a say in meetings and electing class reps.

Honestly

• where does the money go? Twenty-thirty k was raised last year and we were told they bought thirty records and a few packs of books. Give me a basic budget breakdown and I'd have more confidence that it's used wisely, on top of the school ict/ pe/ sport funds were asked to give towards blindly.

• I work in a full time job without flexibility. Evening events require a babysitting cost. Is raise less than I paid one, but could donate that amount to a we'll run PTA.

-the clique thing is an issue. If you moan, how do you welcome new faces? Dds old school was a warm and fun place to join in, but now at dss school I avoid like the plague. I'm not the best baker/ sales person and have no acces to match funding. Last time I helped I put in equal hours to be ignored, criticised and then watch the main few get thanked with flowers. Being nice is a big way to get me in.

-the job is always inflated ten fold if you offer to help, then it's not enough for worthy types still. Be happy everyone gives a little and they'd be loads

-personal cost, like offering to fave paint and finding out I need to spend tons on the stuff to do it, or offering to sew and having to buy specific materials. PTA cann be an expensive hobby

I don't help because tying myself to a group that inevitably takes up more time than you would ever estimate just wouldn't work for me.
It'll be the same as Cubs & Beavers. "help out for a couple of hours a week" soon turns into planning meetings, days out, camps and such like because of the "oh but we can't go if you don't help" guilt trip you get once they've got their claws in you.
It's not worth the aggro in my experience. can you tell I've been stung before?

My DH is still very involved with our children's former primary school because of this issue (how hard it is to get parents involved).

One thing that might help is to think of groups that might be willing to help, but lack the confidence to put themselves forward - for eg immigrant parents whose English isn't yet perfect (this was my DH when he was asked to help out at school - he would never have volunteered but was pleased to help once asked).

As far as the cliquey thing goes, I am pretty shy. Every time someone comes to a pta meeting it is a real effort for me to be super-friendly. Obviously I am welcoming but it causes me great anxiety. I am just the same as them - not some being with special powers - I'm doing my best.

By virtue of being on a pta I'm sure I am regarded by some as cliquey. I'm not sure why the onus is totally on me to charm new arrivals - I am friendly and not sitting in a huddle with the committee but it seems a pta committee can do no right most of the time. I'm just doing my best to support the school.

I think if you read back through this thread therein lies your answer.
The are two types

1. On the PTA, thinks anyone not helping is making excuses, lazy, could do it if they really tried, wants to have the benefits without doing any of the work, doesn't understand how these things work
2. Not on the PTA, either not interested and would rather bung the school £50 at the beginning of term or has tried and felt uncomfortable/ unwanted or working/ lone parent and unable to help without arranging childcare/ taking time off work.

I don't think that will ever change. I work full time and do not do anything for the PTA, however if someone approached me with a clipboard and a list of jobs and specifically said which one can you do I would probably sign up for something. I think you need to shop being a martyr and get pushy if you really need the help. Rather than trying to make the PTA a lovely group where all of the members are in it for the tight reasons you need to see it as needs must and get pushy.

You don't have Governors? Is this a state school in the UK? You must have Governors surely!

Re kids manning stalls. yr 6's in our school run stalls and it works really well. They have to plan it, decide what stall they're having and organise the whole thing. Gives them a real sense of responsibility and achievement. The fete is organised so that one adult is on a stall in a room with about 4 yr 6 stalls so they can keep an eye on what's going on. There are about 4 kids for each stall so they can do shifts, one pair stays with the stall the other pair can go and see the rest of the fete.

A big yyy to the cliquey PTA thing though, that massively puts me off volunteering at school

Hold them at weekends, rather than expecting people to take time off work

Agree with BlackHills. I don't help our PTA much but am a keen volunteer who has given up hours of my life weekly for the last few years. I've run toddler groups, am a Beaver leader and volunteer regularly in class. I'm not lazy or selfish or freeloading but our PTA does not manage volunteers well.

There are so many events for a start, way too many. There's something on constantly and it wears people out. Every event seems labour intensive too. I've helped out at a few things and have had people being plain rude to me. On top if that, you turn up at the suggested time, having sorted out childcare etc, and no-one knows where they want you or has any jobs for you to do. They keep asking for volunteers but aren't sure what they actually need them for. Last time I helped out I said I could do 2 hours and spent 4 hours running a craft session alone. Tonnes of children, no parents, utterly overwhelming.

A lot of stuff would require me to have DCs with me and my DS is a PITA to have hanging round while I run a stall. Once he's older that may be less of a problem.

I find the lazy, selfish stereotype really gets my goat though. It's not that straightforward. I volunteer for 12 hours a week, I need to choose my time wisely.

Ideally any volunteering should be enjoyable so it's great PTA members benefit from that as someone said upthread - whether that's social, keeping skills up, feeling valued, whatever. I think much more should be made of that to encourage more people to contribute. Guilt tripping people isn't sustainable and creates bad feeling.

Splitting tasks up and detailing what's in it for you is more likely to get takers. Agree that having a range of tasks that don't need actual presence at events is good too. Also contacts/relationship management - could someone manage the list of local donors/sponsors etc?

Volunteering isn't about martyrdom, it's about using your skills to further a cause, whatever that is.

Great post Alma

I didn't help because my work often didn't finish unto 6. I attended bingo teas with the kids and gave money when asked but daytime events were out and after school meetings at 4 or 5. Maybe a form asking for money towards x if you can't spare the time. Agree with just wearing pe kit for sports teams. Tesco computer vouchers bought much of my kids' computer stuff

Think the OP is in Scotland and we don't have Governers. I feel your pain OP we are not holding a summer fete after the lack of help at the Christmas one.

I would volunteer, but every event, or organising session, seems to be held during or just after school. I don't have enough annual leave to be able to take additional random afternoons - every one I take means paying for another day of childcare in the school holidays. I'm far from the only one in this position.

I have mentioned this, as I'd happily help out of school hours, but the pta aren't interested. I think they quite like their martyr position.

We don't get much patent help but run events in school time and we teachers help run them. I can never help out at my child's school because I have a toddler and I'm knackered and often have work to do at night, and I school time I'm at another school.

I love the idea of bunging £50 at the beginning of the year. :)

My DC1 is just in reception and so far I haven't helped out. Here's why: I dont have the time, or more to the point, I don't have the time at the points the people who organise the events do have the time.

I have a toddler, so events starting at 6:30pm are a crap time, I need to get her bathed and to bed then. Later starting (7:30pm onwards) I could get someone to sit with her if DH isn't back from work, earlier, (say straight after school), I could bring her along. But most of the PTA work, so they put on things like "film night" (showing a DVD on the big screen in the hall, selling popcorn, drinks and other snacks, charging around £5 per child to get in) starting at 6:30 so they have chance to get back to do it. So the same old faces have to run it and "gosh we work full time and still manage to help" - well done. But the SAHM's who "have lots of time" are more likely to also have a pre-schooler as round here, most mothers return to work once they've got the lot at school. (I have also suggested putting these on earlier would mean that most children wouldn't go home and have tea first, so they could also run a BBQ selling hotdogs and burgers and parents would buy those.) It might look like we have an opportunity to help as if DH is home from work early enough on those film nights, he'll take DC1, but we couldn't commit to it and the last 2 times, I've only told DC1 Daddy would take him to the film once DH had texted me to say which train he was on.

DH also often has to work on Saturdays, and like many DCs in our town, our DC1 has an activity on a saturday morning (we do swimming lessons then, others do rugby or football). I'd find it easier to help on a sunday afternoon, but we never have events on a Sunday.

Committees to discuss planning and events are also held at 6:30 - I have commented when directly asked if I'll come along that sorry, can't do that time, got a toddler to get to bed, yet they never move them to a time that's less suitable for the "same old faces" so they never get new people.

I have baked for cake sales, sent DC1 in with money for various events, got sponsorship for the events they were doing in the day he wanted to take part in, and as this year we'll miss the summer fair again as it falls on a weekend we're probably going to be away, I'll just throw in £20 and be done with it. They never seem to need anyone to do stuff that can be done from home in advance other than baking, so they end up with shedloads of cakes and noone to run the stalls.

My suggestion rather than trying to get people to lots of smaller events is to have a Volunteer Fair at the beginning of the year. Provide wine, drinks and nibbles and have stalls set out such as Sports, Summer Fair etc etc whatever your fundraisers are but put them in categories or skill sets such as IT/Technology. Ask people to commit right then at the beginning of the school year. Or alternatively if they cannot volunteer ask for a one time payment. Have a PowerPoint showing where the money is going with lots of photos of kids having a wonderful time. Maybe have a raffle worth winning that you must be present for to win.

Also give a reward to the kids for the parents volunteering. One school I was in gave a Free Dress Pass (ie no uniform for one day) to parents at a Volunteer event that they could give their child. Another gave out House Points. If you can reward the kids the whole family benefits.

The personalities at the PTA are important. I was very involved at our kids school until a new parent muscled her way into the position of President. Then she managed by diktat and actually sent volunteers home because she wanted the glory such as the teacher appreciation lunch. Needless to say many people stopped volunteering including myself. The PTA does not seem to have recovered. I think you have to read up on group dynamics and make sure everyone understands how important it is to be welcoming.

No one wants to be bossed around, people skills are important and the nicest people are the ones that should be on the front line asking for volunteers.

If everyone on a PTA thinks they aren't cliquey, and everyone (going by the posters on this thread) not on a PTA thinks they are, then somewhere along the line there's a message not getting through.

Tbh, my hackles (and I'm sure lots of others) were raised the minute I read your first sentence OP. Now you've been told why other people don't/can't help so let's move on...(but if that's the attitude of everyone on these committees- the thinly veiled martyrdom of having to be the only ones willing to do the glittery shit and cakebakes, then there's no wonder that you don't get much response)

I also agree that there perhaps need to be fewer events and try and make them a bit more "not another bloody bring and buy" sort of thing.

Fundamentally though, something else to be borne in mind is that as long as parents run round like blue-arsed flies raising money, the government ain't going to step in with a cheque. I think there is a fine line between raising a couple of extra quid for an end of term bun, and actually buying equipment for the day to day running of the school. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done, or that it doesn't need to be done. I'd be interested in how much campaigning, with the backing of the head etc, gets done (by these same interested and involved parents) to change the situation whereby you are effectively being asked to pay for your child's state education though. But that's another thread....(I am in Italy where we make a "voluntary" contribution of 80 euro a year (and the letters come thick and fast if the "voluntary" contribution isn't made....)