Do your bit for your school

At some point or other most people feel a need to make a difference in their community and want to support a good cause.  And the charity work that often tightly tugs at the heartstrings of many people is connected to their child’s school. It only seems natural that a parent will take an active interest in their child’s education and well being at school. 

Most schools really flourish and develop with pro-active help from parents.  With a fully supportive Board of Management and dynamic Parents’ Association, a school can have the latest computer or play equipment, the teachers and staff will feel valued and warmly supported; and the people who will ultimately benefit the most, are of course, the children. With increased parental interest, a school can build solid foundations, allowing the children to benefit from a positive experience of school life.

There are a number of ways you can get involved in helping your child’s school on a voluntary basis.  The level of involvement will be largely dependent on your circumstances and availability to donate time. If you are interested in a more formal role in the management and running of the school, there may be an opportunity to serve on The Board of Management as a parent representative.  Boards of Management have a term of 4 years so you need to be willing to commit to that period of time. The full rules for constitution and procedures for Boards of Management can be downloaded from www.education.ie. Or, if you would like to offer a supportive role to the school and help raise funds for improved equipment and facilities, a position on the school’s Parent Association can be fun, creative and fulfilling. If your free time is particularly tight, there are still ways to help.  You can be a parent helper at the school - escorting children on trips to the swimming pool or you can assist with guided reading, or you could run a stall at fundraising events, or if you have a special skill to sew, paint or cook for example, you can pass on this valued knowledge to eager-to learn children.

The opportunities are plentiful, plus it’s always worth remembering, it will be your children that will ultimately benefit, so of course it’s worth the effort.

Ever thought about joining the Parent Association (PA)?

Parent Associations are hugely important to the social and financial welfare of a school, often filling in the gaps, where state funding dries up. But aside from the advantages to the school, there are many individual benefits to being a volunteer.  The sense of belonging and the warm feelings attached to providing a positive contribution to a team boosts confidence. If you have been at home raising your children and haven’t had a great deal of social interaction with other adults for a while, volunteering on the PA is a fantastic way to integrate again and get to know many of the other parents and teachers.

Most PA’s warmly welcome new volunteers, so you should never feel afraid to offer any help, in whatever capacity.  Any assistance will always be gratefully received.  So why not attend your school’s next PA meeting, to see what’s involved? You and your children could have so much to gain from the experience.

The National Parents Council (NPC) has information and guidelines for setting up and running parent associations www.npc.ie