To ask why you don’t volunteer for school / PTA / Parent Council Events?

[whyismykid]

Is it because you are too busy? Don’t think it’s important? The people who organise these type of events are irritating? Think the school have all the funds they need so it’s not worth the bother?

What would enable you (or persuade you) to help out?

200 people attended the event I planned today and had a good time but only 8 people volunteered to help. I understand that the planning and preparing for events is time consuming (it totally is!) so I’d only expect a small number of people to be able to take that on, but it should be different for on the day help I would think? I made sure each volunteer slot was only 45 mins long, so that people could also take part with their families, and made it clear what each volunteer job involved. Online sign up
so super easy.

What else can I do? it’s a school of 750 pupils and I have a summer fair to attract volunteers for next, any ideas?

Let's be honest, it's just a PITA. Most people don't really want to to have to man a stall at a fair or approach local businesses for raffle gifts. So if they can find some other sucker to do it then all is good. They will then slag said people off, making out they are in a clique or losers because they put themselves out in order to make themselves better for not bothering. Let's face it, most people can spare an hour of their precious time once or twice a year but they just don't want to.

I do help out every year in 2 different schools and in other fundraisers. I do it because I want to help the school, I enjoy doing stuff for the children there and it is nice to set the example of helping out to my children.

But on the whole, I do find the attitude of some of the people involved to be off putting to other potential helpers out - snidely remarks along the 'if I can do it then why can't they?' a lack of empathy for other people's circumstances and sometimes their anger at the fact that some people just don't want to get involved (which is just a 'That's life' situation really).

Hell I do get involved and some of them still mither on at me to do the social nights (which I can't) and make remarks about the amount each helper does. I guess it's a bit like workplaces, you get the same mix everywhere!

The pta mums are a cliquey cabal whom I don’t want to associate with
I could potentially accommodate their requests,I chose not to
The pta inflated sense of self importance also doesn’t help,major deterrent
I attend events,overspend on tatt because the kids like it

Just because you volunteer doesn't mean others should want to. No explanation needed. You can't force someone to see your viewpoint.

I work ft and have three children and TBH I’m too tired to help out with PTA stuff.

I don't volunteer because I did when the kids were in infants. They are juniors now with lots to do outside school so we just don't have the time or the inclination.

Why don’t people volunteer? In addition to the many perfectly valid reasons given here - mainly work and lack of childcare - it really boils down to the fact that volunteering is exactly that. VOLUNTEERING. I.e. for people who WANT to do it, have the spirit, time and inclination. Nobody should feel pressured or made feel guilty because they don’t volunteer.

If a school expects all parents to participate in PTA activities, it should be clearly stated in the school regulations and circulated to parents before they enroll their kids in the school. But then, of course, it’s not volunteering any more.

Let's face it, most people can spare an hour of their precious time once or twice a year but they just don't want to

^this. I agree. Most people just don’t want to. Of course there will be people who genuinely can’t help, have social anxiety, etc. But if 200 people have the time to attend the event, they also have the two me to help. The majority just don’t want to.

Aargh - two me - time!

for people who WANT to do it, have the spirit, time and inclination. Nobody should feel pressured or made feel guilty because they don’t volunteer.

here here

It’s like the letter I used to get from the same school that said “your voluntary contribution is now due”. I used to get quite angry about that

Why would you get angry? It’s not forcing you to make the contribution. It’s just informing you when the school would like it to be made if you are going to.

It seems to me that schools and their fundraising are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Some parents would like to see different kinds of fundraising events, but don’t want to get involved to run those.

Some parents don’t agree with what the money is spent on, but don’t want to get involved with the PTA to change how the money is spent.

Some parents would rather have a system of voluntary contributions, but others don’t agree with it.

No wonder PTA members sometimes feel frustrated by a lack of volunteers. Lots of people are quick to criticise, but slow on actions.

Correct I don’t want to, there’s no compelling reason to do so
i work ft. I value my time off and chose not to spend it with pta

When my child started school, I was very keen to help. I attended all the meetings which were numerous and overran with no 'chair' so people were not staying on track and the meetings would go on for far too long. In the end I said I wouldn't attend the meetings but was willing to be volunteered at them for ANYTHING. ie manning a stall, baking cakes, selling raffle tickets, setting up the hall, tidying up the hall, doing runs to cash and carry, wrapping 300 secret Santa presents, etc. I was never asked to do anything as I hadn't attended the meetings.
Tried again when second child went to school and it was very cliquey with lots on in-fighting. Really tiresome. Third time around I just don't bother (see above)!

I don’t think using the word “scroungers” is right but (certainly at our school) if there was no PTA there would be no Christmas parties, no leaver’s dance, no pantomime. All of which our kids all enjoy at no extra cost at all. The PTA do this because they want to enhance the experience of all the kids in the school. It’s such a shame that so many people look down on them while happy to reap the benefits for their kids of other people’s hard work.

Pta at my school also organise end of term collections for staff,were they tell you the mandatory donation
Donation to be paid into an individual account or cash
If you offer less than the mandatory amount, they decline it.and you don’t get to contribute to collection or sign card
The amount for the TA is half the amount for the teacher,which in imo is inequitable

“can't stop you using inflammatory statements to get your point across but I can say exaggerating your position doesn't help your cause.”

On a thread which has described PTA volunteers among other things as arseholes, bored Alpha mum housewives, cows, cunts, vipers and bitches my remarks seem positively anodyne!

Asking out of interest - if you can't, or don't want to help - does it bother you if the PTA folds? Are we all just wasting our time?

I used to think that parents wanted the things that the PTA provides ie the events and the equipment that they raised funds for, but reading this thread I'm getting the feeling that the events are just another imposition (too noisy, too much junk food, too much tatt) and that the things money is raised for aren't wanted either.

Would everyone just be happier if PTAs ceased to exist and schools just provided what they could and make do without what they don't have money for?

If it’s voluntary it can’t be due

They’re not forcing you to make the payment are they? They’re not going to take something away from your child if you don’t? The only exception I can think of for this would be a school trip, but that’s a different matter from fundraising.

Correct I don’t want to, there’s no compelling reason to do so

And that’s fine, it’s your choice, and volunteering should be just that.

But then you have no right to grumble that there’s no money for play equipment, or that the money is spent on things you don’t agree with. You maybe don’t complain about these things, but plenty of parents do, and that must be very frustrating for PTA members.

“Which of my other volunteering activities should I give up to do the PTA then?“

Absolutely none. You have noticed that everyone is saying that many people can’t volunteer for loads of reasons, haven’t you?

Schools are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to “voluntary” contributions for trips and things. They are statutorily forbidden to ask for payment- but if not enough people stump up the voluntary contributions, the trip can’t go ahead. One of the things the PTA does at our primary school (very disadvantaged area, high% of PP children) is raise money to make sure everyone can go.