“ I had been volunteering for approximately a year and a half , then in October 2023 I was voted in . Being relatively new to the role I still have a lot to learn – fortunately our lovely Chair has been incredibly supportive , making the learning process much smoother .

The journey to becoming involved with my PTA was a third time lucky situation . It took a while as the meetings were fairly far apart ; in my first attempt I had Covid and in the second my daughter was ill . That ' s one of the reasons I was keen to have more regular meetings once I became Secretary , to allow more opportunities for people to join . As Secretary , my role is to support the PTA committee and maintain effective communication between the school , the association and the parents and carers of the children who attend our school . I create content , oversee the PTA ' s social media platforms and design posters and flyers for our events .

I work with the Chair to prepare for meetings , take and circulate minutes of those meetings , and maintain association records . Beyond the administrative duties , I volunteer my time at our events .

While my role doesn ' t require me to spend extra time at school , I often find myself there , sorting uniforms ready for our next preloved uniform event . The amount of time I spend at school is my choice and is not a requirement of the role – we each make the role our own . I ’ m happy being there to help the PTA .

The time invested in creating content and graphics for social media and events is often underestimated . As well as my role in the PTA , I also volunteer my time at my daughter ' s karate club . On a broader scale , the challenge lies in getting volunteers for various events . We had to cancel our 2023 Christmas fair as we didn ’ t have enough volunteers .

The desire to make a difference in my daughter ' s school , especially considering the current challenges in school funding , has fuelled my determination . I ' m just a parent eager to contribute in any way I can to enhance the educational experience for my daughter , her friends and every other child in her school .”

The power of planning I have regular meetings with our Chair to review upcoming events , discuss the necessary tasks and prepare for what lies ahead .

Know your audience Striking the right balance in fundraising activities is important . We don ' t want to inundate people with fundraising requests , especially considering the ongoing challenges posed by the cost of living .

Communication is key My primary focus has been effectively communicating our events to parents and caregivers , ensuring they are well-informed about the activities organised by the PTA . This gives everyone a clearer understanding of the valuable contributions undertaken by the PTA .