To think trying to infiltrate the PTA is a waste of energy?

[channingtatumspecs]

@whyismykid recently asked in AIBU why people didn't volunteer.
I wanted to share my recent experience.
General call for volunteers for the committee to organize a school birthday fete. I contacted the organizers as occasionally get the urge to be a bit more involved in school life, despite working really long hours running a business. Mentioned that i run events and tho I wasn't sure I could give a lot of time and attend multiple meetings I would be happy to use my vendor connections etc.

Anyway after their initial committee meeting the main woman sent me their minutes and said yes pls we'd like to use your connections can you help in XYZ way ?

I read the minutes and sent a lengthy reply about some of the items they wanted to do, and suggested things like "I see the committee decided against this due to budget however I have a vendor who can do this for X amount but have U considered that a local business could sponsor this for X (small) amount and have their logo and contact info on all the take away that each person would get from using this thing. Therefore having this wouldn't cost anything and is a really fun thing to have there that loads of people would want to do. In addition you could charge people a small amount for doing this thing and any revenue could go back to the event.
I also had various other ideas that would not cost them anything if they were a bit creative about it and would make it a really fun event.
Anyway hard to explain without saying exactly what but hope you get the idea.

The response was thanks for that but we don't have budget so we're doing it this way like we always have. I replied to ask if she had properly read my proposal and did she understand that it wouldn't cost anything and haven't heard back again.?!!

I'm inclined to think well who cares I was just trying to make the event less crap but it's nothing to do with me but I'm frustrated that they are so set in their ways they won't consider anything different. This comes back to the fact it is the usual PTA committee doing just their way and I feel a bit slighted !! I am actually glad I didn't volunteer for the committee and give up all my time to attend meetings when any ideas are not welcome anyway!
So AIBU to think that the PTA, despite asking for help, really doesn't welcome it anyway ?

I will say also that you absolutely shouldn’t have to serve your time before you get to input into PTA events. Just be prepared to action your idea if you have one

No, but you should have to serve your time before one of your ideas supplants an idea that has already been decided on by a group you are not currently involved with.

“School fetes are meant to be cosy and homemade”

I’m going to disagree and point out they exist solely to raises funds for the school. A homemade booth where you take the photo with your phone is fun but it’s not going to raise any money, is it? OP’s suggestion was actually on point, in that it would become a novel attraction and a potentially great source of revenue for the event.

I can also see the PTA’s point of view. I would have been wary too unless the OP had said... I can try to see if I can make this happen and I was thinking I could approach xYz for sponsorship...

And even then, the PTA may have been apprehensive thinking of set up/dismantling/electrics/ health and safety... all the other set up bits that someone would need to volunteer ... but weighting that up against having a potentially fantastic way to raise more money on the day.

Please don’t give up OP. Please don’t listen to those suggesting you must attend meetings. I volunteer for the PTA a lot and I’ve never been to a single meeting, despite them occurring at 7:30pm at ours. I have a professional skill that’s very welcomed and they know they can email me and count on me to help in this particular area.

perhaps but to be clear they want to have a photo booth. They're going to have a bedsheet and props and let people take photos on their phone. My suggestion was using a vendor I know that has a real photo booth as well as props and you get old fashioned photo strips to keep. My suggestion was if someone local (dentist? Soft play?) for example wanted to pay for the booth they could have it for free
Hardly globalization but perhaps to forward thinking for the school fete

So they were planning something that would effectively be free to organise by people turning up on the day with a few bits and bobs.

Your suggestion sounds like it involved effectively selling advertising space to a local business to achieve a very similar effect, except that they would need to find a suitable sponsor (or liaise with you on that if you are doing it), deal with the accounting involved in accepting a donation which is then spent on advertising that business, liaise with the sponsor and the photobooth supplier to ensure that the logo is received, turn up early to ensure that a suitable spot is found for the photo booth (plus power etc presumably) and stay late so that it can be collected, sign some kind of damage waiver for any potential problems arising and take responsibility for overseeing the use of the photobooth, all so that the people using it would have a limited number of branded pictures rather than a selection of pictures of their choosing without branding. Not to mention that the school effectively receives a £200 donation which they aren't going to benefit from.

Sorry if I've misunderstood your proposal, but that does sound like a lot more work for little to no additional income - the fundraisers I organise are all about how to make the most money with minimal outlay, so in this case we would ask the local business to make a donation in exchange for an honourable mention on the posters/raffle tickets/programmes etc and then have the money to actually spend.

DoJo, you charge for the photo strips and the school gets to keep all the profit and would not need to deduct the hypothetical £200/2hr rental of the equipment.

Although having read through this forum a bit, I’m now more confused www.photoboothtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6329

You could infiltrate our PTA OP
Really wish somebody would, we are absolutely run ragged
However, if you just made a load of suggestions that would make more work for the few of us who are trying to run the bloody thing without actually doing anything yourself then we probably would ( politely) ignore you.

Hi @PetulantPolecat it's a little off topic I guess but it's pretty simple it is an actual booth like you used to see in the train stations (!) that is manned and operated by the guy. He comes and sets it up and I don't do anything. Setting up the logo is simple as sending it to him by email and I guess he plugs it into the machine to print on all the images. He also gives me a USB after with all the images on it.

I’m going to disagree and point out they exist solely to raises funds for the school. A homemade booth where you take the photo with your phone is fun but it’s not going to raise any money, is it?

I disagree with this - School fetes, kids discos etc are not just fundraisers ( although of course they should hopefully raise money). They are also part of the school experience, providing fun activities for kids where the whole school community comes together.

A homemade booth will raise money - presumably there will be a small charge to enter the booth area to take photos.

Now you’ve shared further info on the photo booth idea it’s clear that your proposal would have been far more time consuming and difficult for the volunteers than what the PTA had planned. A PP has listed some of the things that might need to be done.

Presumably the vendor would want to be paid - finding cash sponsors can be really difficult.

@loopytiles a PP did state all the concerns however i have stated that a) i have the supplier b) they do all the set up c) getting a logo on the photos is as simple as emailing it to him and d) I already had 2 local business lined up

The poster outlined other issues, eg who would pay the business, manage the admin of a donation (if sponsorship), insurance issues. Even just sitting down and thinking through and checking these kinds of things would take time that you are not offering.

Your suggestion was fine, but there are sound reasons for it not being taken up.

Your response was rather tiresome, OP.

PTAs want bodies on the ground to turn up and actually help rather than annotate the minutes with "helpful" suggestions for other people to implement. They are parent volunteers who probably have a wealth of experience between them, not your staff.

I'm completely with @pengggwn on this one.

I think it's the way you have come across. All of your responses can be read with an air of superiority whether intended or not. I'm not part of the school PTA but would have been wound up by your email. The fact that you want them to take on board your suggestions but not actually DO anything suggests you want to manage them from a distance and you get to feel you've swooped in and revolutionised the way it's all done and then everyone can thank you.

This is how it all comes across to me.

You 'do business'. I get it. You operate in a professional manner. Perhaps toning it down and communicating to your audience appropriately would have got you further.

You say you've taken comments on board but I think you're still blaming the PTA people and think you weren't unreasonable.

I know someone like you.
She join group A.. and was full of you don't want to do it like that... you want to do it like this...
Told ok if you want to do it that way. You can do it... oh sorry she goes don't have time... complains about the group... they ignor her she left...
The she decides to set up another differebnt group. National thing well known.... gets everyone together... very excited... she is top of their little group... but keeps delegating to others. Gets cross people won't just do the grunt work and let her supervise walks off as too busy to do practical stuff... group still going. .. she left...
So if you want change do tell them how to do it... offer to do it

I agree, our PTA doesn’t need ideas
We need bodies to help out in a practical sense

Thanks all I don't mean to come across superior at all! And I WAS offering to do it, organize it, take care of it in full so you have that incorrect. THAT is the point. And the reason I felt dismissed. I was only unable to make ONE meeting.
Anyhoo I see that I handled it badly and will know better next time

What's wrong with some advertising? It's a easy way to make a few hundred ££s. Our school has had so many funds stopped and we need the money that the pta make to resurface the playground, build bike racks etc and they couldn't be done without the money we raise.
To suggest we should do a lame version of a home made photo booth for example rather than a more professional one is ridiculous. Why purposely make less money for the school when we can make as much money as possible?

Also I agree with Pengwynn. You think your time is more important than other people's. Shit off, it is not, I put in the hours on our pta to make money for my kids school so all the kids benefit. Your pta do the same, raise money for your kids so a bit less attitude and some thanks would be nice

OP I think considering you were offering to do it all your PTA has shot themselves in the foot somewhat. I would have been happy to accept your idea given the further information you have provided. Never mind, their loss.

@nogrip (apt username) you clearly haven't read my responses trying to explain but thanks for your kind and considered input.

Sorry you came across as very high handed. Agree with others these "suggestions" mean more work for them.

For shoe strings voluntary groups you need to demonstrate how you will put your idea practically into action and you have done the work yourself " I've called x company they are free summer fair day their fee is x. Do you think this fits the budget? Shall I ring them to confirm?"

@kerala, again, i have the vendor, i had people lined up to "sponsor" and essentially pay for it, the vendor takes care of everything including set up and supervision. they were aware of this.
But again, thank you and I accept that i came across badly

TBH I see both sides and agree appears lame to you. My guess is that they are busy - many likely working too and want a half decent event for minimal effort possible. New stuff means more work or at least more headspace. And keeping it easy can mean rolling out was has "always been done".

And I WAS offering to do it, organize it, take care of it in full so you have that incorrect

Was that clear in your email to the PTA? From the info given in your op, it would seem not.

To suggest we should do a lame version of a home made photo booth for example rather than a more professional one is ridiculous. Why purposely make less money for the school when we can make as much money as possible?

A homemade one may not necessarily make less money though, presumably there’d be a charge to use it