Attracting New PTA Members

[GettinTrimmer]

There are quite a few long standing members of our PTA who will be leaving soon as their dc leave for secondary school, so that will leave the PTA very short of active members to organise school discos, quizs, summer and Christmas fairs, etc, etc.

Does anyone have any ideas on attracting new members? Our Chair has approached many parents but finding it very difficult to get them to come along to meetings.

My friends will help me with folding raffle tickets/stuffing envelopes (I am secretary and organise the big raffles at Christmas and summer fairs), but whenever I ask if they would join they just say they 'don't want to get lumbered!'

It's understandable time is in short supply for many parents, but if the PTA folds the school will not have funds for so many things .

TIA

It seems to go in cycles on our PTA, a few leave and it is difficult to get replacements, then a few join in. It is nearly always friends of those already on the committee that join, but do sometimes need a bit of nudging.

We have adopted a system where people can be class reps but not on the committee itself, so they don't have to come to meetings (committee members don't have to either but obviously you need some who do). The class reps (ideally 2 per class with preferably one on the committee) do all the class specific stuff eg organising rotas for their class stall at fairs, running their class cake sale and will often help out with other stuff, but they don't feel as committed that way. Ours has really picked up in numbers this year after a couple of years doing this as people are less worried about going on the committee when they know there are more people sharing the workload.

We also have class reps and it really works. It's a good role for people who want to help, but don't want to take too much on. It also takes the pressure off the committee who would otherwise be organising everything.

ime a good looking dad on the committee always seems to make more want to join