Parents - what would you think if you got this letter.....

[Orinoco]

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I've been on a pre-school committee and I admire your ingenuity...but, sadly, I don't think it will work and I think you will get some negative reactions. It's always the same faces who pitch in to help. I wrote a heartfelt (and bloody good ) "letter to new parents" and talked to new parents at the induction day about what the committee did and how desperately we always needed help... I think we had two new faces turn up to the first meeting. I don't know what the answer is.

Sorry don;t like it (speaking as someone in exactly the same position).

What's worked for us (but you need thick skin) is asking every parent waiting to srop off in the morning when they would like to help out, and not taking no for an answer. If mum says no (OK stereotypical that it's usually mums dropping off, but true) then ask about Dad, nanny, grandparents. If no childcare for younger kids have ready name of other parent with similar aged siblings who can swap babysitting, if still no then ask to wash tea towels/count Tesco vouchers/print out fundraising publicity etc.

We do it at teh beginning of each half term, and whislt everybody probably thinks I'm a pushy cow I do have a full rota!

I don't see the problem with it. It'd probably make me realise how desperate they were. I'm one of the annoying ones who don't mind helping, but avoid committing myself. But then confronted with a "will you do xxx today/one thursday" will say yes (have always done in the past anyway) and if I can't on that day if they say "when then?" I'll come up with a date I can. That's the key really, I need people like prufrock to amke me do stuff!

Full marks to Orinoco for trying a new approach; however what might work better in this context is a timebank scheme.

There are issues about recruiting volunteers. It has become more difficult to do and this is because the backbone of the people who used to volunteer, often women, have paid jobs.

Our society has changed.

Of course there are the selfish as well, but those you always have with you.

if you want to know more about timebanks do a google search or contact me through my profile on here.

I'm not sure about the prize draw thing, but there is nothing wrong with sending out a letter listing the things parents can do to help.
I was in a similar situation and we sent out a letter with a tear off slip at the bottom asking parents to indicate which things they were prepared to do to help. We also had a box which said "I am unable to do anything to help". It did work to some extent, certainly no one ticked the unable to help box, although some forms were mysteriously lost.
I do think you will have to accept that some parents won't ever volunteer for anything, but that could be for lots of different reasons, including the experience of volunteering in the past which, in my case, almost turned into a full time job!

Coming late to this I know, but I would only send a letter giving the specific examples of how people can help . Eg taking tea towels home - great for those who cannot attend sessions but want to do something however small .Also some people who would like to help are perhaps not very confident and as they are unsure of what exactly helping involves tend to hang back and not volunteer ... by telling them exactly what type of help you are looking for you will probably entice quite a few....

TBH the prize draw idea would make me think of all the wasted time that administering it would entail .... I suspect many people would think that the someone tasked with counting all the half hours etc could be put to much better use............