Volunteering for your child’s PTA, PTO or Booster Club is a great way to take an interest in their education and to be a part of a larger community of parents. Even with the positive impact of volunteering, parents are busy and don’t always have the time to help. This can make it difficult for many parent groups to find the parent volunteers they need.
If your PTA, PTO or Booster Club has a shortage of parent volunteers, here are 6 ways to gain more…
1. Share your Why
PTA, PTO and Booster Clubs have an important role in the life of kids they are helping. As a parent-group volunteer, share with other parents about why you personally are volunteering and how it makes an impact. Why do this? Because passion breeds passion. When one person is passionate about something, others want to get involved. Communicate to others the heart of what you are doing in your PTA, PTO and Booster Club and you just might have yourself a few more volunteers.
2. Involve your Teachers
Teachers are heavily involved in their students’ lives and often have built a good relationship with parents. So, if teachers are happy about what your PTA, PTO or Booster Club is doing for students, they will talk about it with parents! Two things happen in this situation. One, the parents are hearing about the positive influence your parent group is having on their child’s school. And two, they are hearing about this from someone who has their child’s best interest in mind (their child’s teacher). Parents will want to be a part of the story!
3. Get to Know New Students
As a PTA, PTO or Booster Club, it is important to know who the newly enrolled students are in your school. Knowing who they are will help you make sure they feel welcomed and it will give you a chance to reach out to these parents about how they could get involved. For new parents, they may be seeking for community. So, being a part of a parent group could be ideal for them. Keep that in mind as you talk with them about your PTA, PTO or Booster Club.
4. Post on Social Media
What parent isn’t on social media these days? Posting photos and talking about the fun things your PTA, PTO or Booster Club is doing will pique other parents’ interest. You can post on your personal profiles or you can post in your school’s PTA, PTO or Booster Club group. Either way, don’t miss out on the opportunity to share the fun you are having and the good you are doing with your parent group! It may inspire others to get involved!
5. Offer Babysitting
Some parents want to volunteer for your PTA, PTO or Booster Club, but may not be able to because they have another child at home. This is a great opportunity to help them out by finding a qualified babysitter for them. Doing that can give them some time to be a part of what your parent club is doing… because more than likely they really want to help!
6. Ask!
As you get to know parents who are not involved in your PTA, PTO or Booster Club, ask them if they want to be involved! Chances are it might be something they are interested in but just need someone to ask. Find out what their gifts and passions are and ask them to use those gifts to help serve their child’s parent group. Don’t be afraid to ask for help because many people want to help, especially when it comes to their kids.