AnonyMouse_22106 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 How easy do you find it to put together a committee? We are finding each year is getting more and more difficult, we are a pack away village hall setting and all our feeder schools now offer nursery places which means the majority of our parents leave us after 1 year. We have 1 more committee meeting left for this academic year - 3 members are leaving to go to school and will resign at our AGM in September, leaving us with 2 committee members who are staying. How do you go about trying to get new intake mums to come along to the AGM and be Chair straight off?! Ideas very welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 It's a nightmare scenario really, expecting parents to come in and run a business. We really struggle to get committee members and we have parents for about 2 years, of course now staff can go on the committee, not sure if that is a good thing or not? We are pack away aswell, but have just been given a grant to build new premises, so are really selling that as a really exciting project to be involved in....there are still those that get involved and those that let them! I don't know that there is an answer......sorry not much help am I, except to say you are not alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_22106 Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 Thanks for the reply I'm hoping someone comes along with a really good idea! I am staff but support the committee all I can (the only staff member that does!) as that is where my career started, I know how much I wished the staff then would help us. As you say when you are Committee you really don't have a clue what you are letting yourself in for!! Sounds great that you are getting a new building, good luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_15046 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Do you have to draw members only from parents. Would it be worth contacting other community members to support you in a similar way to school governing bodies? Perhaps someone from school or other early years settings would agree to bring in their expertise or some parents whose children are older and are willing to help out with some fundraising. It might be worth asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 How easy do you find it to put together a committee? We are finding each year is getting more and more difficult, we are a pack away village hall setting and all our feeder schools now offer nursery places which means the majority of our parents leave us after 1 year. We have 1 more committee meeting left for this academic year - 3 members are leaving to go to school and will resign at our AGM in September, leaving us with 2 committee members who are staying. How do you go about trying to get new intake mums to come along to the AGM and be Chair straight off?! Ideas very welcome. send letter out to parents saying join us or lose us invite them to next committee meeting sure , they would hate thing u,ll be closing sure u,ll get some takers . Oh yeah good luck . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_22106 Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 Do you have to draw members only from parents. Would it be worth contacting other community members to support you in a similar way to school governing bodies? Perhaps someone from school or other early years settings would agree to bring in their expertise or some parents whose children are older and are willing to help out with some fundraising. It might be worth asking. Thanks Alison - might try the village hall committee - although I think the youngest one there is about 70, but at least they usually commit when they do agree to something! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 It's very tricky although we are very lucky at the moment to have a full team. I responded to a request from the setting saying that they might have to close if they didn't get people to do it, and now I'm chair and very involved and enjoying it. I do wonder though whether it's the best solution to running a voluntary setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3735 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 annual problem for many... we used to ask on registrtion forms if they would be interesed, and when we needed new committee approach those first, before child started if need be then came THE letter, to all parents and stating the facts.. if we did not get a committee we would not be open even as far as to say next day... this one usually worked. we arranged the meeting when children were in the setting, and had someone on the door 'encourging' them to stay... no babysitter issues, etc.. aim fo rht minumum committee, 3 officers plus 2 others was ours... and we often had more once we explained things we found a chair from ouside he group who is stable and willing to syand for longer period, as did our trasurer who had so many childrne following through the gtoup she had done the job for 6 years so far! try to make the roles as simple as possible, employ a book keeper, which was our biggest asset , making treasurer job so much easier, they work together. And we always had staff involved too, they had a vote at AGM, in our constitution, not easy to do good luck with it all Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3735 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 and the spelling is atrocious again... I put it down to senior moments... Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Just one thing about having staff involved ... We've had a situation where a committee member is now doing bank staff. I've been unhappy with this from start (conflict of interest, etc.) Now we are indeed encountering problems where she is chatting to parents about committee stuff as they drop off when she's meant to be there as staff. She's also been late on a couple of occasions. And it's ever so hard to have a tough word with someone when they are both staff AND committee. So personally I'd advise against if at all possible. I'm currently thinking about staying on beyond when my daughter finishes at pre-school in a year's time. I'd hate for all the hard word I'm doing at the moment (getting garden area built, achieving free flow, investing some of huge reserve fund) to go by the wayside once I leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3735 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 dont fully understand why but we found having staff become or join committee was different to other way round.. probably because they were always staff first and committee secondary.. and depends on the person.. Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 We've only got Chair left to find..proving very difficult! We can only use parent/carers and staff aren't allowed to be a committee member. So difficult!!! ppp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_22106 Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 We've only got Chair left to find..proving very difficult! We can only use parent/carers and staff aren't allowed to be a committee member. So difficult!!! ppp Thanks for all your responses The only members we are carrying over are Treasurer and Secretary none of the other 5 parents that are staying are willing to do anything, except stay and do the washing up occasionally! Have recieved 17 september intake registration forms so far and surprisingly no one has put that they wish to find out more about the committee! Like the suggestion of trying to have meetings whilst the children are at playgroup though - could give that one a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Don't know if you are the same but we cannot operate without a full committee. In the past the Playleader before me put a note on the door saying playgroup closed due to no committee - that soon found willing volunteers!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 That's an interesting point, Inge. We have our meetings during pre-school time, before they used to have them in the evenings but I am not in a position to do this and the same for other committee members (babies, etc.) so now we meet during the day. It also helps to keep our meetings very focused as we only have 1 hour and then 2 committee members have to go and get their children who don't stay to lunch club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JPH Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 For the last few years we have been very fortunate in being able to elect a good number of parents on to the committtee. Attached is some info about becoming a committee member (adapted from PLA) which is included in parents welcome pack. Also, info about AGM that goes out to parents. Might be of some use. Getting current committee members to talk to other parents helps a lot, they stress that it can actually be fun - it tends to be a very sociable evening. We also try to "hook" parents into coming to AGM - think about what parents would want from the evening, what would encourage them to make the effort to attend? If they're interested enough to come to AGM, you can usually encourage a few more to actually join committee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JPH Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 For the last few years we have been very fortunate in being able to elect a good number of parents on to the committtee. Attached is some info about becoming a committee member (adapted from PLA) which is included in parents welcome pack. Also, info about AGM that goes out to parents. Might be of some use. Getting current committee members to talk to other parents helps a lot, they stress that it can actually be fun - it tends to be a very sociable evening. We also try to "hook" parents into coming to AGM - think about what parents would want from the evening, what would encourage them to make the effort to attend? If they're interested enough to come to AGM, you can usually encourage a few more to actually join committee. Volunteering_for_your_Pre.doc AGM_poster__etc.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_10713 Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 We've only got Chair left to find..proving very difficult! We can only use parent/carers and staff aren't allowed to be a committee member. So difficult!!! ppp Come September we have only 1 committee member and a Treasurer!!! I could start a rant .... we are supposed to be professionals, but we rely on unqualified inexperienced management that changes every year ... by the time we have trained them their children leave and we lose them ... we lack the support professionals should have... but I know you've heard it all before, we say it every year. Good luck to anyone hunting the elusive committee, it like hunting for Big Foot, they are supposed to be out there somewhere, but you just can't find them!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I told our leader today that I might stay on when my daughter moves to school. Her response was 'I'm going to hold you to that'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 We found a good way to get parents hooked was to hold a parents evening in which we stated we would give parents individual feedback about their child's progress and settling. Before we did though they had to listen to us explain why we operate the way we do, how their child learns through play, and an impassioned speech from our committee secretary for them to join the committee. The idea was all parents want to hear how wonderful their child is so they will come along! It worked quite well and we got 2/3 new members and lots of support for things from the other parents who couldn't/wouldn't commit further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I have just written a 2 and a half page letter asking parents to be Chair. See if that works! If not, no Playgroup in September. ppp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 That would be a real shame PPP I hope it works. Having said that, having done the job since the start of the year, I wouldn't wish it on someone with no knowledge about the education sector or the EYFS. There's a lot to learn even if you do have a background in the area. Good luck with finding someone, I hope you don't have to close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_22106 Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share Posted June 14, 2009 I have just written a 2 and a half page letter asking parents to be Chair.See if that works! If not, no Playgroup in September. ppp Same situation PPP no chair and no general members just hope that the mums starting in September are keen to give it a go. We have had to take on most of the tasks of the Committee now as things just wouldn't be done - it's so sad as I do feel you make some great friendships being part of the Committee, although I do agree SuzieC8, it's far too much responsibilty for any volunteer to take on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 My letter worked! We have a chair for September! Now I can have a sit down....... ppp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1027 Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 excellent news - well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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