RUNNING A PTA – Hotspot
Recruit volunteers
Increasing your visibility is a virtuous circle – the more work you do, the more volunteers you’ll attract. And the more volunteers you attract, the more you can do.
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Benefi ts of visibility In detail:
●Increased donations – when your message is clear (‘We’re fundraising for X to help the children do Y. This is how much we need to make it happen’) people are much more inclined to donate money, especially when you stress how much the children will benefi t from it
● Increased volunteers – enthusiasm can be contagious; when people see that you’re passionate about what you’re doing, they’re more likely to want to join you
●Sponsorship opportunities – when the community sees how active the PTA is, they’ll be more inclined to help out. Approach local businesses and see if they’re interested in making a donation or sponsoring an event or sports team
● Setting an example – you’re sending a message to staff, pupils and the community that volunteering makes you part of something bigger.
✓
WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO? Don’t assume everyone knows what the PTA does and who runs it.
New parents at the school might be itching to throw themselves into things and just not know how – don’t let that enthusiasm go to waste; make sure they know how to get involved.
BARRIERS Have people expressed an interest in volunteering with the PTA after seeing the good work
you do but not followed through? Have a quiet word to fi nd out what might be stopping them – is childcare a problem? Or maybe it’s a transport issue? Once you fi nd out what the hitch is, work on coming up with a solution.
PLAY TO PEOPLE’S STRENGTHS Make it clear that there are enough jobs to appeal to everyone – don’t let shy
volunteers be put off because they think they might have to be the exuberant host of a quiz night, when they’d prefer to stick to behind-the-scenes roles. The reverse is also true – if you have a frustrated showman in your midst, don’t let them hide their light under a bushel when hosting a talent show or bingo evening could be their chance to shine.
LET PEOPLE SHOW OFF THEIR SKILLS Do you have an artist in your team? See if they’d put their talents to
good use with signs and posters for events. An IT whizz? They’d be great at handling your social media presence. Enthusiastic amateurs are just as welcome as professionals.
ONE-OFF ROLES OR ONGOING? Some people are going to prefer to help out for single events – for example, a
summer fair they’ve seen you promoting – which has an end date. It doesn’t mean it’s the only event they’ll get involved in, it just means they like concentrating on one thing and crossing it off their ‘to do’ list when it’s over. Other people might prefer an ongoing role.
✓
AT HOME OR ON SITE? Many busy parents might prefer to volunteer for a role which can
be done at home, after the children have gone to bed, because they like the fl exibility. Others might take the opposite approach, and prefer a task that’s
done on site to keep a boundary between their school and home life.
✓
MICRO-VOLUNTEERING Free time is becoming a rarity in people’s
increasingly busy lives, so promote the opportunities of micro-volunteering – this involves recruiting people for essential yet small, time-restricted tasks such as clearing up after a fête or being an event’s designated fi rst aider. (See the spring 2022 issue of PTA+ for more on micro-volunteering.)
pta.co.uk SUMMER 2022 31
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