Advertising For Committee Officers

[Guest]

This thought has come from the topic on staff wages, plus the recent discussions about the difficulties with maintaining committee members, committee members abilities etc.

 

Has anyone ever thought about advertising for committee members from the community, outside of the parent members?

 

The reason I've thought of this is because Officer roles really do need someone who has the time and inclination to give the 'task' it's due attention, such as a treasurer really does need someone who is 'numerate' and interested in accounts, budgets etc.

 

When I worked in a committee run preschool (many years ago) my dad became treasurer. He was a retired pensioner, I asked him to consider the role when we were finding it hard to find new committee members. He was a person who was very interested in numbers, etc. In fact a mathematical genious in his teens (but thats a different story).

 

I was aware that he used to do household accounts and could budget to the penny what would be spent in a given year. Anyway, as a retired person he had the time, as figures was of interest to him he had the inclination and on a personal basis it bought me and him closer together as we would discuss the financial circumstances of the setting ( I was supervisor at the time).

 

He was a very fair man and didn't show nepotism toward me, he took the role seriously and even signed all documents, minutes etc as 'Honorary treasurer'. He's passed on now (over ten years ago), and so this is a bit about me reminiscing about the added value to my relatiuonship with him due to his role as preschool treasurer.

 

Back to the wider context, there must be many 'pensioners' out there with sound financial knowledge who would love to 'volunteer' their time and knowledge to a local community preschool, as a Treasurer, and others who have the knowledge and skills to be Secretary and even chairperson.

 

Have any of you ever thought to ask grandparents of your children, or local pensioners, if they would consider a position on the committee?

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Peggy

 

Excellent suggestion. We have that situation working very well in our pre-school. A retired grandma who worked in retail and is also a keen fundraiser. She has been an asset to our setting as Treasurer. We find parents are willing to take on other roles but because we need the Treasurer to be available during working hours and spend time with the acccounts especially at the end of year they do not have the time. She came to us from the community asking if we needed help and it is only this year that one of her grandchildren has started to attend.

[Guest]

Good idea Peggy.

 

I have seen two adverts lately on our local authority website for 'volunteer Chairperson' for local pre-schools, so some settings have already started looking outside.

[Beau]

Just check your constitution though. Ours very clearly stated that the office bearers had to be elected from the 'council' which was made up of users of the service only. Then we could co-op a certain number of members of the community to stand as committee members if need be.

[JacquieL]

To get around that you can change a constitution clause at an AGM if the majority vote agrees, unless of course your constitution says otherwise. Some constitutions have basic rules which cannot be changed, but those are usually when the group is affiliated to a wider organisation.