Following on from the other thread - What would make you get involved in your PTA? How would you recruit to the PTA?

[PTARecruiter]

Would welcome ideas on this please!

Thanks in advance.

PS - Am regular poster but have changed name as will print this thread for distribution!

Perhaps knowing that there was a small, very specific job that I could do which would not necesarily require attendance at lots of meetings or committment.

My NCT branch committee have used this approach and have had an influx of volunteers becasue everyone knows where they stand.

thank you!

all suggestions welcome!

Yes, small specific job. You could have a list of jobs which need volunteers. eg I do posters, programmes, letters etc. All can be done from the comfort of my PC when it's convenient.

less busybodies on the PTA

God, that'll empty the PTA completely...

thank you

small specific jobs v. good idea.

how about:

• valuing the existing volunteers? how?
• PTA noticeboard somewhere with photos up?
• leafletting at events?
• specific PTA newsletter?
• how to dispel the notion of cliques/busybodies?

Small jobs is good, I do the school calender, it is a pain in the arse for 6 weeks but that is my contribution to the year and I know what to expect.

i guess you will need to be a wonder woman!

the chair of our pta is very good - she is friendly to all and says 'morning' in the playground and doesn't just chat to her friends/kids' friends.

small jobs are good eg in a newsletter add a list of small things that need to be done and ask for volunteers

thanks for these

any thoughts on the specific points i mentioned?

hello

more ideas welcome thank you

Our PTA purchases book bags for the reception starters and puts a flyer in there.

good idea, thanks.

any more?

Right here goes. I used to be on the P.T.A and help out before that and the things that make a difference to me are

Members actually speak to you when they don't want something ( got fed up helping out and then ignored in the playground unless a fete was coming up.

1. When you help out at fetes ect allow those people to have some time of to enjoy it with their children to.

1. organise but don't be bossy and speak to people like they are your workers

1. Send thank you notes out to people that help and thank others in your newsletters.

I was the secretary on a P.T.A too. I took over from someone that stayed on and she ruined the whole thing because she wasn't center of attention. It's not about attention and getting noticed it's about working together as a team. There is one of these on all P.T.A's and people don't join because of it. Lots of parents told me that was the reason too.

I love P.T.A 's they do so much for our children but some mums see it as power struggle. Good luck

Also at parents evening make tea and coffee while parents are waiting for their turn to see the teacher. Then while they are sipping tea ask them to join.

What made me join was that one of the committee members was really nice and came and chatted to me at a meeting. I'd said in a general meeting that I was around in the day and could help with bits and pieces here and there - she actually took me up on it, got me to go with her to do stuff and invited me to a committee meeting at someone's house.

She is now our chair and everyone likes her - she is very chatty, outgoing, super friendly to everyone and we've got more people coming forward with ideas or offering to help because of it.

Our meetings are in the local gym bar so we have a good laugh and a drink too - so it's a social gathering as well as a meeting.