If you attend a parent-run playgroup but don’t volunteer, what makes you think you’re so special?

[asdapryce]

The group I chair is run by parent volunteers and will have to close after Easter unless the parents who attend week in, week out agree to go on the volunteer rota and help occasionally.

I don’t understand why they don’t. It’s a group for parents of multiples - we’ve all got 2+ babies and mostly other children too; we’re all tired; we’re all busy but we all benefit hugely from the support of the group yet literally no one has put their name forward to be on the committee after Easter and get involved in the week to week running of the group after Easter.

Not to mention the support we offer to expectant mothers of multiples in terms of running a talks with our local hospital and for all local twins+ parents through a large, active Facebook support group and a twins+ buy/sell/donate site.

What makes people happy to take take take and never give back? I’m genuinely interested.

Not entirely the same but I like doing parkrun. (Free 5k runs around the country) There is a small core of volunteers at our local one, who help on a regular basis but often 500 people turn up to run. Lots of them never volunteer ....but would prob be disappointed if parkrun wasn't on. One person I know only volunteers if it's a role where she can run as well because it would be too much of a hardship not to do it for 1 week

Yep, parkrun is just the same. Same people volunteering. Same people running and never volunteering. And the moaning about results being late, wrong etc. There is much outrage about there not being a Christmas Day run because of a lack of volunteers. It’s baffling.

On a practical note, perhaps it would be best to just announce at the end of the session that now it's time for everyone to clean up? And perhaps at the same time bring out the set-up and drinks-making rota and encourage people to sign up. Sometimes people need a nudge.

Don’t smoulder in silence, ffs.

Type up a letter making the position clear re the need for volunteers. Hand this to everyone who comes next week. Have some questions or a voting box: what do people actually value? Perhaps no one actually wants snacks, or hot drinks?

Also set some ‘rules to live by’ for attendees.

Bring your cups back to the hatch
Don’t leave litter
Be friendly
Put toys away at the end of the session

People aren’t mind-readers and a bit of direction can be helpful for everyone.

Yeah, OP, I don't see why one person should be responsible for all the setting up, food preparation each week. Any group I've been in has been all for one and one for all. Ok, someone might need to be the one who opens up, but then toys can be put out and food prepared by anyone who's there at the time. You've set the group up as a "them and us" group, but if you now try to shift it to "everyone pitches in" it might be more likely to be a success.

Group starts at 10? Whoever is there at 10 pulls out a few toys. Whoever has a free hand cuts up the bananas. Someone sticks on the kettle.

Make things easier for people rather than difficult. If it's seamless people are more likely to get involved. If it's structured and rostered people are less likely to commit.