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!

Our school run a lot during the day or straight after school with year 6's/5's running stalls with teachers watching over and sell stall places to people who make soaps/knit items etc

They twice a year do a non uniform day for being a bottle/un-opened smells for raffles at the Sumer/Christmas fete.

As the school has "houses" every so often each house has a cake sale in the playground at pick up time and the house earns points.

Also wacky socks day/dress up as Y day etc £1 each time.

They raised loads of money and don't need much input

I like the idea of the wacky sock day

I am a non helper at these events. I have the usual excuses, I work and DH works, busy lives etc. In honesty I would rather donate cash than my time. The idea of spending a Friday night at a PTA run quiz night just fills me with dread, I would just rather donate. I understand that school fares raise lots of cash and as a school community event these are really important and kids love them.

I also think it would really help if parents were made aware of the specific things that the PTA wanted to raise money for. Perhaps if new IT equipment is needed then maybe a big chart at school or on the website showing target of £xxxx amount and with updates amounts raised. Part of the problem with our PTA is lack of information because people really need to know specifically what they are supporting in order to be motivated to help or donate.

Can PTAs have a Just Giving type website where people can donate? I know that family members who cannot (or do not want to) attend school events would happily donate to the PTA instead.

I do what I can when I can. I don't bake but I always buy the cakes, which is the point isn't it? I help at the disco whilst my dd dances. I buy a book at book week.

I don't see why I should commit more than this. Some parents like to run stalls, others like to spend the money. If everyone was running a stall, who would be spending the money? All the agro and guilt tripping just ruins a fun event.

A direct 'this is what we are fundraising for with this event', followed by a 'this is how you can help (including just turning up and spending money)' and a final 'this is what we raised and have bought' for every event would help. I don't like the 'we won't be able to do this event' threat as surely the event could continue, just on a smaller scale. Besides, this sort of tactic is unnecessary if you do the 'this is how you can help' handout/notice for signing up.

When we do help, someone should be on hand to welcome us and thank us, because you can feel a bit lost if you're not part of the established gang.

If you are low on PTA numbers, a general letter encouraging anyone to join would be useful. Open yourselves up to help from anyone in the community.

Justgiving is a great idea

I don't like the 'we won't be able to do this event' threat as surely the event could continue, just on a smaller scale. Besides, this sort of tactic is unnecessary if you do the 'this is how you can help' handout/notice for signing up.

I'm afraid I think this where we are. You simply can't run a disco for 120 kids without a decent number of adults there - it's not safe for one thing. And it's not a threat...it's just a simple statement of fact. If we can't get some parent helpers we can't do it. And we are explicit about what we need - for example we need 2 parents to help monitor the gym hall and 2 to sell sweets at the tuck shop. Not sure how much more explicit we can be!

And I do wish all the people he who say they'd rather just give a donation each term were at our school. There was outrage the last time that was suggested!

I really appreciate all the comments from this thread. It's quite an eye opener to see how fundraisers are viewed! I think we already do many of the things suggested but I think one aa where we could massively improve is communications. I think we need to be really explicit about all the things we fund and I love the idea of a Fundraisers email. We tend to communicate via bag drops of the parents' facebook page but they both have there limitations. The school newsletter is already issued via email so I'm sure we could ask whether they would distribute something from us as well.

we set up a site where the pta would get money every time people shopped online. About 10 people did it, in a school of nearly 500 pupils. That included 4 on the PTA committee! It was advertised in every newsletter, with instructions!

I work PT but PTA meetings are mid afternoon on one of my work days. I've helped with discos and school fairs when I can. It is annoying that the PTA run round being martyrs when help is offered and more people could join if they changed the meeting time. When I turned up at the Christmas fair I was wondering around like a lemon looking for a stall to help on. They were supposedly desperate for help and they were expecting me too.

There was a regular event that was cancelled, it was a real shame and the kids were disappointed. A few months later the PTA let it be known it was cancelled due to lack of volunteers, well no one asked for volunteers. Speaking to a PTA member I asked why they hadn't asked for volunteers and she gave me another reason why it was cancelled. It did give the PTA the opportunity to criticise other parents for the cancellation of the event. Non PTA volunteers massively outnumber PTA members at our school events as most of them are working and can't make the monthly meetings.

I was on the PTA for the whole time my DCs were at school. I ran it in the end and had some golden rules I stuck to eg money raised had to benefit all the children in the school not just a small group eg musical pupils so that parents could see the benefit to their own children. The exception was that we ran class cake sales where each class took turns but then their cake sale money was spent on their own class.
Another thing I thought important was that at the big Summer and Christmas Fairs I had one volunteer on making tea for all the volunteers.

In the end it is worth looking at effort per fundraising activity and the amount of funds raised. Some are not worth it and some are very low activity for good funds - here I would include a beetle drive, 100 club, clothes recycling, non-uniform days, teddy bear tombola.

Getting help involved a serious letter to all parents explaining that without help the PTA would fold and pointing out all the recent things that had been funded.

Not everyone likes to run a stall but maybe they are graphically skilled and can make the posters and put them up, or do the shopping for a bbq, or wrap lucky dip presents etc.

A big notice in the playground helped with specific jobs and times and a space to sign up. We left it up for parents calling for children later (those in homework club)

Don't always ask for money. Clothes recycling worked very well and non uniform can be 'paid for' with a bottle for the bottle stall - not always wine could be shampoo or tomato sauce etc everything welcome. Another time we asked for unwanted tolietries and made up pamper hampers to raffle.

Finally I do think it is important to have a chair that is easy going and values all contributions in whatever form and does not put people off.

Oo another very easy one was when an Olympic athlete visited the school and the kids did exercises and got sponsored and they all had their photo taken with him. I don't really like sponsorship things but if they raised a certain amount then they got gifts eg water bottle, tshirt. The Olympic people took a % of the sponsorhip and there was no upfront cost and no risk to the PTA. We did charge £1 for the photo though. The buzz amongst the children was great. Not everyone did get sponsors but we didn't make a big thing of who did and who didn't. There was some admin but basically the Olympic people ran the half day. I don't think I can name names but there are a few organisations doing this and it would be easy to google.

Sorry not to really answer the original Q of how to get helpers but I think sometimes you have to accept you won't get more help and to make the best use of the help you have.

I would gladly pitch in if someone looked after ds. he has ASD and these events can be challenging. he would be quite happy at the bottom of the school field on his own if there were someone with binoculars keeping an eye out!

We have two things that raise quite a bit of money for us: Fruity Friday and Book Club. Every Friday one or two of us buy some fruit and chop it up. Kids can then buy it for 50p. Quite a good take up. But you need a few volunteers for that, which luckily we had.

Book Club - buy books from Book people and split the packs. Every week kids would bring in 50p which they then can save towards a book they have picked. Books tend to be sold for 1-1.50 so easily achievable. Books were also sold at events and there was a huge take up from parents. At 1.50 or £2 for a decent book - who can argue about that.

I agree with the others that you need to approach people directly and ask them if they could help. We had quite a big group of Mum's from country x here. They never used to join in anything which I think was related to not really knowing what is expected / unsure of the other Mums etc. I got the most outgoing Mum of that group involved and once she was onboard and realised that we all a friendly bunch and not scary at all and that it also helped her CV, she got a lot of the other Mums involved too.

Even though you may think you are friendly and approachable, it may not come across like that. So speaking directly to people really helps. Plus you have to come through and then really be friendly and involve people and not leave them alone to it. Nothing is more off-putting...

Xmas stalls - we tend to let the kids man the stalls, with one teacher. Then they all go around and once done, swap places. Seems to work ok.

Disco - split into yeargroups ie older and younger kids. Structure the disco so it involved games etc. That way they dont run around like crazy and you wont need as many parent helpers.

One more think i thought of to make it fairer for money distribution: we usually hold meetings once a term, requests for funding have to reach us before that so we can vote on it. Chair is authorised to release £100 without discussion, everything above that needs approval. So we would keep an eye out to make sure every class benefitted, sometimes advising where money in the request could be saved by buying at different shop etc instead.

Parents also really appreciated an update via the school newsletter. Once a term we would state how much we raised and how that money was spent.

I think you have to accept that some people are joiners and like the whole PTA thing and other people are not. The latter shouldn't feel obligated to volunteer just because the former think they should! I would hate to be approached in the playground and basically assigned a task.

I also want to echo the view that all the time parents are paying for essentials, the govt will sit back and let them. Fundraising is supposed to pay for non essential extras.

Also, there are far too many events and parents get donation fatigue! I would sign a direct debit form for a fiver a month in exchange for a promise by the school that they won't ask for money for non uniform days or donations to school fete etc.

Lol! Not sure we have any Olympic athletes in our village but I'll bear it in mind.

While I get where the "govt should fund this" argument comes from I think it's naive. In our local authority we are about to suffer even more massive cuts to the education budget. The local authority will care not a jot if our school has no interactive whiteboards, or no new blinds for the gym windows, or no funding for Science Week etc. The only ones who will miss out will be our children. That's why I, personally, got involved in fundraising. There are many things I'd rather do on a Thurs night than monitor a school disco but I do it because I believe communities, esp small ones like ours, are improved when people get involved in things. I'm no martyr and there are bits I enjoy and bits I don't but on balance I think the effort, for me, is worth it.

As I've said before I completely get it's not for everyone and this thread has been v helpful in making me realise that we should stop worrying about getting more helpers and just do what we can with the helpers we have.

Johncusack - google Sports for Schools for the Olympic athlete thing.

We're doing it in the next few weeks, though it's school organising it, its not a pta thing.

All those who've said they'd rather pay x amount per term instead of support PTA events, have you actually handed any cash over? Don't wait for some frazzled committee member to draft yet another letter, just do it! Then feel free to ignore the PTA for ever more and everyone is happy.

I'm sure your PTA's wouldn't refuse it, and I expect the the school office would pass it on if you're not sure who to give it to. Just saying...

And to those who think that schools are rolling in cash and just need to manage their budgets better, you have nooooooo idea

My children's school has an active PTA and it does seem to rely on the same people.

When they started at the school, I volunteered for a few things but nobody even acknowledged me. After a school disco where I was left for three hours manning the 'toilet break' exit, I just gave up (it's a small school, so the infant and junior discos run one after the other).

I don't think the PTA realise how off putting they are.

Well you've all just shamed me into it. An email came through from the school (not fundraising related but organising something) asking for help with a specific job that can be done from home. Instead of thinking about it, and forgetting all about it, I emailed straight back offering my services.

I wouldn't think they've had such a speedy response before. I blame MN.

"The PTA isn't wholly about fund raising, it's also about fostering school community spirit and providing social events."

This is a classic example of what is called "shifting the goalposts of the argument."

A: You should join the PTA! We raise money for things we all need!
B: But I'd rather just donate some money, in that case.
A: But the PTA is about community spirit as well!
B: Well, surely participating in "community spirit" is the decision of the individual, not a moral obligation? Not everyone wants to take part in such events.
A: But it's selfish to not take part in the PTA when we raise all this money for essentials!
B: But in that case, why can't I just write a cheque?
A: Because writing a cheque does not foster a community spirit, which is what PTA is really all about?
B: But you just said that it was all about the money. If it's really just a social event for the enjoyment of the people involved, then surely those who wouldn't enjoy that are not obliged to take part?
A: But the PTA IS a moral obligation, because we are all morally obliged to raise money for the school!
B: But if it's about the money then WHY CAN'T I JUST DONATE SOME FLIPPING MONEY INSTEAD!?!
A: Because if you just donate money then that's not fostering community spirit, which is the main purpose of the PTA...
B: AAAARRRRRGHHHHH!!!!!!!!

I think PTA committees need to decide whether they are actually there "for" raising money, or whether they are there "for" fostering community spirit. If the real purpose is money, then accepting donations ought to be just as good as manning stalls--better, actually, because things like stall-manning work out pretty inefficient as a means of actually earning cash. If the real reason is because it is this nice social event, that that's nice but it's not something that people should be obliged to take part in , any more than anyone is obliged to take part in a coffee morning.

My sister was a begrudging member of the pta at my nieces school having being guilt ed into. She roped me, my other sister and several of our friends into helping out at the school play. Betwwen us we did all the scenery and costumes yet it was the 4 "main" members of the pta that got the round of applause and flowers at the end. When my sister brought it up that all volunteers should have been applauded right down to the poor mum who manned the tea stall every night for the 3 night run the chair woman basically said that helping out and seeing your good work is thanks in itself. My sister soon stopped going after that... she got sick of the main 4 gushing to everyone how well "their" play had gone and how much work they had put in. Her experience reflects many on this thread... pta was cliquey and constantly complaining of how much work went into things. My sister felt her ideas were never given any merit especially her suggestion that the end of year party be funded not by the pta but by parents like when we were at school but no apparently asking parents to contribute food was too much...Instead we hold a beetle drive requiring volunteers eyc to raise money to buy food

TheNewStatesman has it exactly right.

I got very pissed off when a cake I had make for a bake stall was sold for less than the cost of the ingredients plus minimal assumptions about the value of energy and time. I suggested it would be better for everyone if I just gave the money, and got roughly the nonsense outlined.

Children whose parents help out at fairs get 5 extra points on their achievement cards at DS's school.

Jesus, that's absolutely foul. So that means that children from less supportive backgrounds, who are probably already underachieving, are further stigmatised.

And if that were a school my children were at, I'd ask some very searching questions about the relationship between the PTA and the classroom teachers. The head needs a good talking to.

Children whose parents help out at fairs get 5 extra points on their achievement cards at DS's school.

And children in care, or whose parents are perhaps ill or in prison or otherwise unavailable, can, of course, just suck it up. The more I think about it, the viler such a school sounds. Middle-class mafia much more interested in their own ego than in other people's children.

Children whose parents help out at events get an extra 5 points on their acheivment cards

That's disgusting. What do these schools want parents to do. Take days off work and lose money.
Achievement card there in lies the clue an achievement is something they achieve. Not what their parent achieve.
I was never an arse kisser at my dd's school(. Erm sorry for working and not being a fully time mummy but I raised dd as a lone parent having only one wage coming in and I have bills and a mortgage to pay, which sorry came before looking good on the PTA )
However I still expected my dd to have the same opportunities as the children of parents fannying about.!
I think it's ridiculous. I just about saw the inside of the freeekin school. I'd attend open nights ect and have a friendly natter to her teacher now and again but that's about it. I knew she wS happy there

Can people stop with the digs about sahp please.

Sahm here and I have never felt the need to arse kiss at my children's schools. My dc are all at school and I haven't felt the need to live through them by dominating the pta I'm quite happy filling my own time

I help out when I can but that is for my children's benefit, not mine and many of the people I know on the pta have full time jobs and are people who enjoy that level of involvement. So enough with the implication that sahm have nothing better to do than bitch about wohm and look down on them for not volunteering enough.