to never want to volunteer at a playgroup fundraiser again?

[ally90]

Cancelled my dh's plans to go out on the night (despite the warning I had given him in May and June I would be out that night ) so I could help with a big do that was on. Turned up. They wanted NO HELP. I asked and asked and asked...each time they were fine for help...fgs they ASKED for volunteers, I put my name down on the list asking for volunteers at that time of night! AIBU to think that if someone is a first time volunteer you should

a) make them feel welcome
b) give them a job to do so they feel involved

I mean if you WANT help again...you surely do what you can to make the person 'want' to come back. As it is I'm now convinced they are a set of martyrs (I was also offering to take over so people could get something to eat...still no luck!) who need to be needed.

What a waste of my night.

However event was a big success and it all looked wonderful...they did do a fab job.

But if I hear one more moan/whinge from them how 'no one volunteers' I may just have to slap them tell them the truth.

BTW one lady was a bitch unfriendly towards me and made it clear I was not welcome...the rest were friendly, (but made it obvious I was an outsider to the team) and glued to positions (I think that is the 'arms outspread and fire round ankles' position)

How would you feel? And those who are part of a team of volunteers...do you generally make it easy for first time volunteers to join the team?

3 playgroups in my area, not telling where . Not a clue if they are council or committee (???) all three have committee's tho.

Can see the problem of keeping people informed. I was thinking of a simple sign on the door (that they all stare at while waiting for children...)...we are given x amount by govt which does not cover staff wages...activities/snacks/etc etc are provided for by our fundraising activities...without this extra money we would not be able to provide this service for your child(ren). We will let you know through the course of the year when we are going to have a fundraiser and would appreicate any and all input you are able to give for ideas/suggestions/thoughts/ on it all...and of course donations of bric a brac/cakes/half an hour of your time/financial donations (whatever amount, big or small) or if you could speak with any local business contacts...any of these would be a fantastic contribution to keeping this playgroup going for our children (and lyrics for michael jacksons 'make the world a better place for our children' below). Many thanks THE COMMITTEE

Hmm...maybe not that simple! Basically give the info, no pressure, no hassling, emphasising ANYTHING will help, no matter what...

And even...perhaps, volunteer days...where we have a fundraiser fate and the playgroup assistants will take your child for an hour..parent has a cup of tea/cake...then spends rest of time relaxing serving teas and coffees and being WELCOMED to come again...

Maybe all this is unrealistic...but something needs to be done to encourage people so that they feel able to contribute...and arm them with the facts and figures.

Would I say this at committee...not on your nelly.

Why not go along and say it at the committee! If it needs saying, then do so. My own experience is that three-quarters of the mums ignored anything on a poster or even on a letter - the only way to actually get the message across was to chat to each one individually - which then leads to the stereotype of chasing people around, with our without a clipboard . Of course all mners are good at reading things, and I personally can't pass any poster without reading it in my peripheral vision, but many people don't seem to take in info that way.
Whereabouts wise, I'm just wondering if you're scotland or england, as I think the systems are different. There is no govt funding at all for playgroups in Scotland (unless they are partner-provider playgroups in an area where there isn't a nursery class in the school).
It's all becoming a moot point anyway - the legislation that says all childcare services have to have a manager educated to a degree level (even if it's a four hour per week playgroup) will close down most of the voluntarily-run playgroups.

Sorry, not meaning to sound dismissive - I will climb down off my high horse now, that wasn't meant to look like it was aimed at you personally iyswim .

You didn't sound dismissive Its interesting to hear all this. And it is helpful about people not reading things...that is why I don't want to say anything as I suspect it has been tried before so it would be like telling them to suck eggs!

I'm in england...cannot believe they think they will get someone with a degree to run a playgroup!! There again...with the amount of people doing degrees now

Or on your high horse! Sometimes worry I come across like that!

Thanks, I just ranted and pressed post, should really preview .
It doesn't have to be a degree as such, just "degree level" which is SVQ4 and then a few levels. I went to a "consultation meeting" wiht someone from the scottish government and several of us put it to them that this ruling would put playgoups out of business. The line she kept repeating was "that in the future it was probable that voluntary sector childcare would look very different".
Ie, playgroups are going to close down and they don't really care. After all, playgroups are mainly used by SAHM's to give their children some social life and to let them practise being away from home before going to nursery, aren't they? Children of wohm's are at proper daycare nurseries. Ergo, playgroups are a bit of a luxury and don't fit in with govt policy. At least that's the way I see it at the mo.

Regardless of all this, and regardless of the fact that posters etc have been tried before - we have to keep on trying. Otherwise the facilities won't be there in the future, for our next children, or our friends' children.

I rarely preview! Perhaps should sometimes

Cut backs going on everywhere...suppose we will have to do more 'parent' run playgroups? I know of one in our area...but same problems with volunteers! They do make alot of extra cash though...

So would schools take over where playgroups left off? Dd is 2.4 in sept and starts playgroup...what would the alternative be if there were no playgroup...nursery at 3.5?

It's parent run playgroups I'm talking about. The problem is that any "childcare provider" will in the future need to have a degree level manager in order to be registered with the Care Commission. Alternatively, an unregistered playgroup (which lasts less than 2 hours per session) can run without any of the legislation or administration applying to it - but then you run the risk that no-one is checking on standards at all, and it may be very difficult to get comprehensive insurance cover. I certainly wouldn't be prepared to run a non-registered playgroup, as if there were any problems / accidents / allegations, the buck would stop with me.
In Scotland incidently, nursery provision starts at 3, but that's five sessions per week, and some mums / children aren't ready for that.

Had similar experience recently. Our DS school have a pre-school group during the summer term which is run by a committee of 3 volunteers, we then hand over the jobs to the parents of next year's pre-schoolers. It involves sending out letters about the club, allocating children to 2 days, setting fees and paying into bank, transferring bank account names,fundraising for school, etc. Most importantly it involves organising a party at the end of term so the kids all get to meet each other. I naively thought it might also be a sociable event for the parents, especially those of us with no siblings already at the school. On the day the other committee member and I were left ignored by the others while we laid out food, cut up cake, poured drinks and generally looked after their kids needs! We did all the clearing up and the other woman had even sorted party bags, with an 8 week old baby. Hardly anyone even said 'thank you' when they left and they all sat and spoke to people they already knew and just left us to it! I wanted to discuss some stuff like presents for the teachers and at least formally thank the woman who had done most of the party but there was no chance. It felt just like school and I left almost in tears and so angry. If no-one volunteers to run these things their kids will start school in September without such a good start - would a 'thank you'/offer to help have been so hard?