Staff and Fundraising

[Guest]

HIya,

 

i am just looking for a little advise/information on what happens in other pre-schools (committee run) with regards to fund raising and staff.

 

I am the chair of a committee and the staff think the committee should do all fund raising. The committee are all working mums/dads - 2 of which wanted to leave but didnt because that put us below the quota for being able to open.

 

We are a busy set of people with day jobs and all happy to commit to fund raising but want the staff to attend and support. The staff refuse to attend unless paid - not point paying them to do it as this then outweighs what we earn.

 

We want them to attend 1 event as a "worker" 2 events as guests - so come have fun and 2 hours one afternoon to do an open day - we will pay them for this.

 

Staff get ALL the money from the events to buy what they want.

 

can anyone advise what they do with their charity events and staff? thanks x

[thumperrabbit]

Tricky one this, and I will be interested in hearing others experiences.

I came to staff from committee and therefore understand what's it's like to be 'on the dark side' :-) from both angles!

I have another ex-committee now staff member - we both do all that we can, we have joined the committee attend EVERYTHING that committee try & do to be supportive, but other staff don't do anything at all as they don't see why they should.

 

Now although I plus other staff member 'help' committee, in my opinion it's has caused the committee problems that we now have - parents no longer see committee as the serious group that it is and it has meant that me (as manager) does everything and committee is virtually non-existent - if I could back pedal 8 years I would as I'm not sure doing what I've done has been the right thing and would try & stand back more - although that would kill me, because I'm just not like that! :-)

 

In a nut shell as a committee member I felt staff should help as they know how things work & most committee members don't have a clue or leave by the time they've understood.

As a staff member I feel it should be committee doing their roles because staff aren't employed to do what are committee roles.

 

In an ideal world staff & committee should work together as a team but I'm not sure how many groups can honestly say that happens.

 

Look forward to hearing how others feel.

[Mouseketeer]

Hi and welcome

 

As the manager of a committee run setting I do go along to meetings in an advisory capacity but have not joined the committee (though that is where I started), if the agenda is only fundraising I leave them to get on with it, myself and staff often go along to support fundraising events unpaid even though the committee don't ask or expect them to, we get involved to different levels depending on what the event is really, as the manager even if I haven't planned or implemented a fundraiser somehow it ends up being my problem whether it's posting info, sending out info, printing things, ordering things, chasing sponsor money etc...to the point of what they are going to make I'd rather they just docked a couple of hours wages and saved me the trouble, I don't think the relationship between staff and committee is ever an easy one and it's tough on both sides, staff potentially have a new boss every year that can have very different views of what their role as employers mean and on the other hand it's hard for committees to know how far to go with out stepping on toes and causing discord in the camp. Good luck

[Fredbear]

Okay this is my view both from a personal capacity in being the Chair of our pre-school many moons ago now and a staff member and Supervisor for the past 15 years.

Our goal has always been to preserve our cherished setting and with that in mind try to encourage and involve everybody associated with it. But we know that you will always have those that for ever reason go that extra mile and those that don't or can't commit to things outside of their contracted hours. So for us it's more of thanking those that can and celebrating all our fundraising achievements.

We would certainly not take the view to pay staff for these additional events, but a cake or a large box of chocs goes someway in showing that their support is truly appreciated.

Over the course of a year we hold many events and the majority of our staff of 15 will attend at least one or all of these.

Make it fun, laugh lots and enjoy.

In my role I do go along to the meetings in an advisory capacity. We have "touched wood" always had a fantastic committee and long may it continue.

We are also an incorporated company now with charitable status.

Edited April 13, 2015 by Fredbear

[Inge]

Have to ask.. how many other jobs expect you to spend time unpaid , however little, to help fund-raise.

The staff too are hard working and busy people, same as the committee.. and I do wonder how many additional hours unpaid are already done- I know from experience most staff do some hours without being paid, be it for paperwork, setting up,putting away, late parents collecting etc etc. All these are often hidden and may be five mins here , ten mins there.. it all adds up over a year..

We used to do fundraising that did not always involve being out of the normal hours or that could be done at home .. a sponsored find always went down well, so much so they asked for it each year.. all we had to do was print off a card and letter.. then over to parents. Maybe try to find other similar fundraising.. ones that do not need a lot of time.

An open day needs the staff to be there so they should be paid..

We had it as part of our contract that we must attend one fundraising event each year.. unpaid.. and all staff were happy to do this - they had been told upfront that it was expected..

However that said.. we did find our staff happily attended if it was something that their own families could be part of..we did a lot of stalls as school fêtes as advertising for the setting, and all staff would take turns on a stall , including their children in the mix.. we felt we had to remember it was their time off too so worked better if they could have family with them, most of the staff were single parents so finding/ paying for childcare for anything was a big issue. We organised and did all of this as our staff contribution to fundraising.. the committee did any other fundraising.

We had the same problem as others though.. if staff attended the committee felt they did not have to.. or turned up and expected staff to take the lead.. this did cause issues with us..If they are doing the fundraising the committee need to do the bulk of the work and invite staff to help for a short while..

[thumperrabbit]

Have to ask.. how many other jobs expect you to spend time unpaid , however little, to help fund-raise.

 

We had the same problem as others though.. if staff attended the committee felt they did not have to.. or turned up and expected staff to take the lead.. this did cause issues with us..If they are doing the fundraising the committee need to do the bulk of the work and invite staff to help for a short while..

 

And this is where it went wrong for me ... I ended up doing more and more and now the committee are virtually a bunch of names that allow us to keep running.

I'm not 'having a go' at committees joining ours many years ago has enriched my life so much - but it's the team work that is needed to be successful

[blondie]

the majority of our fund raising is done through things children can do at home - a sponsored look and find -we print off pictures and sponsor forms and also do a sponsored bean grow - children plant a bean as part of a theme - growing/healthy eating/jack and the beanstalk -then take it home to grow and it is sponsored. we do also attend summer fetes and have an hour each on the stall-alongside the committee.x

[diesel10]

We have it in our job descriptions that we need to support fundraising but at the end of the day I have come to realise that there are some people that are community minded and some that are not. Our families used to love the annual fete but I gave up organising it as staff not keen and committee / parents not reliable (I'm the manager).

 

At the end of the day you need to increase the fees so that you don't need to fundraise. Which is a shame for the children that enjoy the events. Although I arrange an end of term lunch / open afternoon with Easter egg etc.

 

Edit- actually why should the staff work unpaid because the council don't pay enough funding. I'm sure our local advisors don't work unpaid and they get sick pay and a pension!

Edited April 13, 2015 by diesel10

[sunnyday]

 

Edit- actually why should the staff work unpaid because the council don't pay enough funding. I'm sure our local advisors don't work unpaid and they get sick pay and a pension!

 

Absolutely!!!

[louby loo]

 

Edit- actually why should the staff work unpaid because the council don't pay enough funding. I'm sure our local advisors don't work unpaid and they get sick pay and a pension!

Yep - I'm with that one too!

All fundraising should be done in working hours - and fully involving the children!. Fun runs, sponsored hunts etc.

If the committee want it to be out of hours, then it needs to be totally 100% optional if staff attend. (hopefully they will :1b )

Not sure what your fundraising involves - but don't forget these staff members all 'work' too- and very possibly on a lower wage than many committee members.

Once out at a fundraising event- they may then even need to spend money themselves? Drinks/food if it's an evening event, maybe babysitters if its a 'non child' event..... or the simply the endless money they have to give their own children to keep them amused (on all the other stalls) if its something like a fete.

It's not fair to 'expect' low paid workers to pick up this expense themselves - as someone else said - they may just choose to lose an hour or two's pay instead - it might actually work out cheaper for them!!!

[LKeyteach]

I worked in a pre prep school and we were expected to attend an open day each term on a Saturday. I hated having to choose between job and getting my daughters to their dance class. It may only have been 3 Saturdays but my children were entitled to their interests.

It is great seeing staff getting involved with families but fundraising on regular basis is a bit tough.

Perhaps a survey of staff and parents to get a clear idea of what thoughts and feelings are might help.

Good Luck

[blondie]

i have just had this conversation with a person who works for a city council setting so has the pension, great wage, great facilities, great resources, lots of book time etc etc the list is endless - she doesn't realise how hard it is in community group - they have lots of staff even if numbers are low whereas we have to think about staffing if the numbers are low. how the other half lives

[Guest]

Have to ask.. how many other jobs expect you to spend time unpaid , however little, to help fund-raise.

The staff too are hard working and busy people, same as the committee.. and I do wonder how many additional hours unpaid are already done- I know from experience most staff do some hours without being paid, be it for paperwork, setting up,putting away, late parents collecting etc etc. All these are often hidden and may be five mins here , ten mins there.. it all adds up over a year..

 

i am deadly against anyone working unpaid, so they get paid for coming in early to set up, closing down, key working additional payments, staff meetings, we have removed them from committee meetings because we couldnt afford to pay them all for that - as they dragged them on alot.

 

i understand your comment re fund raising in other jobs but generally in other jobs your not fundraising for your premises to keep you going and for extras to make your life easier its for "a charitable cause".

 

 

[Guest]

thanks everyone for responding

 

unfortunately we have a few issues which stop us putting prices up - we are already most expensive school in area, and actually we are 2 miles out of town and "good" at ofsted, ones on peoples door steps are £2-3 cheaper a session and "oustanding" so we cant afford to add more of a gap to the session prices.

we have discussed it today with the staff and i think we are going to move away from events such as summer fairs because they take for ever to organize. the staff love a good knees up can bring hubbies and friends to night time events so i think we will just push for them next year or knock them on the head - if no one wants to support them i just dont have the time to do everything unfortunately. atm i already feel like am running 2 jobs......lots of issues have needed sorting and its taking me 2/3 days a week since november to get thing moving x

[Guest]

just as an aside - our best fundraiser recently has been 'cinema evenings' - we provide popcorn, squash, DVD on big screen (had to buy a licence but it lasts for a year so getting several showings in!) and whole families come along for a community event - we charge £1 a ticket to include a helping of popcorn and squash.

We have found this to be easy to organise, PTA designed tickets, we printed and sold them, PTA bought big bags of ready popped corn and decanted it into small bags, squash on request in plastic cups. A bit of clearing up but no wondering what to do with the 'unsold' bits and bobs or running around the charity shops afterwards.

best of all - the children chose a few films, then voted for what they wanted to watch, and had an evening to remember - came up in conversations for weeks afterwards, and we sold out the second evening within 2 days of starting to sell tickets.

Good luck with all your fundraising adventures

[Guest]

just as an aside - our best fundraiser recently has been 'cinema evenings' - we provide popcorn, squash, DVD on big screen (had to buy a licence but it lasts for a year so getting several showings in!) and whole families come along for a community event - we charge £1 a ticket to include a helping of popcorn and squash.

We have found this to be easy to organise, PTA designed tickets, we printed and sold them, PTA bought big bags of ready popped corn and decanted it into small bags, squash on request in plastic cups. A bit of clearing up but no wondering what to do with the 'unsold' bits and bobs or running around the charity shops afterwards.

best of all - the children chose a few films, then voted for what they wanted to watch, and had an evening to remember - came up in conversations for weeks afterwards, and we sold out the second evening within 2 days of starting to sell tickets.

Good luck with all your fundraising adventures

 

did they choose frozen by any chance? i know our kids would pick this and really we could turn the tv off and let them all just act it out! lol.

 

sounds like fun though!

[lsp]

Looking at it from another angle - as a small rural committee run group with flucuating numbers, we have in the past had to fundraise to keep going. So the money was not going onto the luxury items, but to pay staff wages! How many professions can say that they have had to fundraise to afford to pay their own wage. So if you add into the mix that staff are actually charged to attend functions and events its a double whammy. Can I quickly add that we are in much better shape now - but you never know

I am actually trying to encourage our committee to become more active in fundraising. I like the ideas of making the children the main focus. We also have a huge problem getting the parents involved. Our main fundraisers are organised by me - Bags 2 School, book club and photographs once a year. I do attend the committee meetings (unpaid) to give a managers report.

[Guest]

the thing for me is that other than "being on a committee" the committee have no buy in for actually doing anything. i have nothing to force them to do stuff, if they dont want to help i cant make them..and i cant kick them off because i need them to stay to open anyway.

 

am in no mans land with staff who dont want to help, committee who are here just to help with numbers and me in the middle and the way things are going there will be no pre-school next year as i have no committee so i dont know why am to worried as no one else seems to care

...can you tell its been a bad day!

[LKeyteach]

Ajr7

Do not despair. Now you are with us we will support you with or without the help from your setting.

It is chair people like you who have the get up and go that makes life in a committee run preschool so worthwhile.

You will so many of us who are just so frustrated at the lack of funding and/or government appreciation for what we do.

But the people who matter are those little ones who come in each morning filled with curiosity and a desire to create imaginative meaning to their worlds. So hold onto to them use what you have got and build slowly. The others will follow.

[finleysmaid]

ARJ7 ...how much do you need to fund raise each year? perhaps we need to look at this from a slightly different angle? Have you worked out what the business needs, or are you just going with what has happened in the past? Don't be afraid to change things. most of us have inherited a system that is 20 years out of date and no longer equates to the job we are doing.

There are other ways of generating money.....but i do think you need to start with the How much question!

[lsp]

ARJ7 ...how much do you need to fund raise each year? perhaps we need to look at this from a slightly different angle? Have you worked out what the business needs, or are you just going with what has happened in the past? Don't be afraid to change things. most of us have inherited a system that is 20 years out of date and no longer equates to the job we are doing.

There are other ways of generating money.....but i do think you need to start with the How much question!

Also what is the money for? May be grants and funding out there with your name on ARJ7!!

[Guest]

Hi

I am not from a committee pre-school so cannot say about fundraising, But I have just been on a safeguarding course where we talked about staff / parent social events. What I want to say is please have regard for the staff they may not wish to come as a guest to fundraising event because this could put them in a very awkward situation if they have to have discussion with parents at a later time.

[Guest]

 

did they choose frozen by any chance? i know our kids would pick this and really we could turn the tv off and let them all just act it out! lol.

 

sounds like fun though!

of course - what else? - for the first time, Aladdin and the Despicable Me 2 since. We're thinking about how to give parents the choice next time round.

[Guest]

of course - what else? - for the first time, Aladdin and the Despicable Me 2 since. We're thinking about how to give parents the choice next time round.

sounds like a fab idea, think ill mention it at the next meeting

 

can i ask what time you did it at? and what day?

 

thanks x

[Guest]

We just tagged 90 mins on to the end of the day - we are fortunate that our parents all collect at the same time, so that makes it very easy.

We chose to do this on Thursdays for no reason other than it suited us, and it seems to wok out OK.

Staff do not need to stay and are not expected to, though senior staff do stay around just in case! Others bring their children, but they are there to have fun, not working!

Other preschools locally have used the 'twilight ' session to hold events like a teddy bear's story time where children go home, then return in their jimjams with their teddies and their families. Staff do stay for this and tell stories, fundraising is by sales of hot chocolate, biscuits and a raffle.

As others have said it's a question of what scale you are thinking of. Keep going with the enthusiasm and others will come along, but it does take a while to build a core group of activists, and in the nature of pre-schools, the parents move on through the education system as their children grow. Have fun 'building the buzz'!

[Guest]

We just tagged 90 mins on to the end of the day - we are fortunate that our parents all collect at the same time, so that makes it very easy.

We chose to do this on Thursdays for no reason other than it suited us, and it seems to wok out OK.

Staff do not need to stay and are not expected to, though senior staff do stay around just in case! Others bring their children, but they are there to have fun, not working!

Other preschools locally have used the 'twilight ' session to hold events like a teddy bear's story time where children go home, then return in their jimjams with their teddies and their families. Staff do stay for this and tell stories, fundraising is by sales of hot chocolate, biscuits and a raffle.

As others have said it's a question of what scale you are thinking of. Keep going with the enthusiasm and others will come along, but it does take a while to build a core group of activists, and in the nature of pre-schools, the parents move on through the education system as their children grow. Have fun 'building the buzz'!

 

thanks for this, we have some good events at the moment, but be nice to build up a few more that are more for family bonding than "making lots money"

 

will mention to the committee and see what they think, hopefully we can get a few more going next term with a new committee of fresh faces x

[thumperrabbit]

 

thanks for this, we have some good events at the moment, but be nice to build up a few more that are more for family bonding than "making lots money"

 

will mention to the committee and see what they think, hopefully we can get a few more going next term with a new committee of fresh faces x

 

'Family Bonding' - lovely way of putting it :1b - I think that's what I loved about playgroup (as it was called then!) parents just seemed to want to help even if they didn't go to committee meetings they would support with donations for raffle and always buy tickets, or help in the kitchen as part of a parent rota or poster push when numbers were low ... but these parents seem to be dwindling away these days they are very few & far between, or is that just us?

 

How long to you keep your children for? A huge part of our problems come from the issue of schools taking our children the day they are 3, so parents don't stay long enough to feel as though they really belong, it's only those who know they need us for younger siblings that really show any support