Volunteering

I'm a school governor on various committees, I interview new teachers, appraise the head and various other stuff. I do it because I suppose I want to give a bit back and also I want the best education for the kids at the school.
 
I volunteer for a couple of local charities, offering financial/accounting/tax support and advice where they need it. One of them is on a monthly ongoing basis, the other a more adhoc basis as and when its required (budgets/forecasts/investment analysis etc).

I do it because I have time to, I get a sense of wellbeing for doing so (that is missing in my "work") and because the charities need the help and Im in a position to offer it
 
Ha no, I only get bored when the weather prevents me from golfing! Going back to uni in September so my days off are now at a premium. As part of building a strong uni application, I have been volunteering at a homeless drop-in club. Quite good fun and I've learned a lot about the different services people who are at risk of homelessness need to use.
 
Farneyman said:
That must be interesting. Do you have any background working in education as a teacher?
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No, and in a way you should not have to a certain extent. As one of the roles of the governing board is to bring a different perspective and to some extent bring in the skills they have from outside of education. Schools are great places and the heads and teachers really do a good job in very challenging circumstances once you are aware of everything they do. Especially heads as they work as hard as any one in the private sector.

But one thing is that most teachers have never left education so are missing a little bit of input from the private sector/non educational sector (and I do don't use the phrase 'real world' as some do as education is just as much 'real world' as is working for a bank). And one thing you are definitely not there to do is to tell the teachers how to do their jobs or the head how to run the school, which if you were/are a teacher would be a very strong temptation.

Having said that both my parents were teachers, my sister is one and I am a trainer so I am sort of aware of a lot of the issues.

I really enjoy it and would recommend it with one or two caveats. It is becoming more of a challenge as Gove, rightly or wrongly, wants the boards of governors to be recruited based on their skills rather than just the fact you are a parent or live near the school. And as a governor you are expected to be across many areas such as finance, recruitment, strategy planning, appraisals, health and safety etc etc. Obviously not all of them individually, but the board should have all these skills.

I can see where he is coming from and in some areas you have lots of doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc etc queuing up to be a governor so happy days. But in other areas you are struggling to recruit any and expecting the board to be a multi skilled can be a stretch. Also to be a decent governor you have to put some time in to be trained, read up on things and attend quite a few meetings in the evenings. You do get some governors who are serial committee sitters who sign up just to say they are on 'a committee', but then do chuff all.

It is a bit scary how much power the governing board can have at times, and I bet heads dread it if they have a board made up mostly of parents who want their child to be Joseph in the Christmas play and serial busybodies.

And if your school is an academy then as a governor you are legally a director or trustee I think with the associated legal consequences. Which could potentially get a bit hairy.

But as I said I'd recommend it, if you are interested contact your local governor services at the local authority as they will have a list of vacancies. And if anyone is interested then feel free to DM me and I can answer any questions.
 
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fundy said:
I volunteer for a couple of local charities, offering financial/accounting/tax support and advice where they need it. One of them is on a monthly ongoing basis, the other a more adhoc basis as and when its required (budgets/forecasts/investment analysis etc).

I do it because I have time to, I get a sense of wellbeing for doing so (that is missing in my "work") and because the charities need the help and Im in a position to offer it
Click to expand...


Hope you dont advise the Charities to put all their spare dosh on this weeks cricket accumulator :) :) :0


Im a Scout Leader and Archery Instructor, do all the camps and bivvy nights and hikes etc

helps keep my mental age at 14 :)
 
I was an officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve for many years and also a kirk elder. Currently I am the secretary of a classic car club and will be vounteering to help in the Junior Ryder Cup at Blairgowrie at the end of September.
I tend not to get too involved now as it has a habit of taking over and getting in the way of golf!
 
I 'volunteer' at the local pole dancing club helping the performers with costume changes.

£75 per week, but it's all I can afford!
 
I also was a Parent Governor at my kids Primary school and at my first meeting the school went into fresh start measures a very stressful time ensued or several years but I'm glad to say that I completed my time and my kids left and the school achieved a Good/Very Good in it's last OFSTED report. This from a school on an estate rated 3rd most deprived in the area.
 
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