A NSW Department of Education spokesman said:“Principals determine the level of voluntary school contributions in line with published departmental advice and in consultation with the school community.”
The parents at Balgowlah Heights Public made the largest amount in voluntary contributions of any primary school last year,according to Department of Education data. Parents are sent a contribution request twice a year for $450 each time. It pays for activities such as music and physical education,a $100 contribution to the P&C and an $80 technology levy.
Balgowlah P&C president Diana Worman said parents raise additional funds for numeracy and literacy resources,books for the library and to fund school upgrades such as a new playground.
“Arguably what is more important is how a parent is able to volunteer within that school community – we have parents who do sausage sizzles,sort lost property,run a gardening club,recycle soft plastics,volunteer in our canteen,volunteer in our uniform shop,read to children – that kind of in-kind contribution is priceless,” she said.
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“It is hard work,it is an investment of time … it is a constant quest to recruit more volunteers and that’s the story for all P&Cs across the state.”
Lane Cove Public P&C president Caleb Taylor said this year his organisation ran events on weeknights including a Vivid cruise and a world food fair in a bid to get more parents volunteering and involved.
“It has been challenging coming out of COVID,people were reluctant. This year we ran a good grassroots campaign and had the slogan of ‘Bringing back community in 2023’,” he said. Taylor ran as an independent candidate in the Lane Cove municipal council elections in 2021.
Lane Cove Public’s P&C operates a canteen and a uniform shop;they also generate revenue by renting out musical instruments to students in the band,and they host a lucrative volunteer run every year which made $35,000 last year. That event is expected to raise $50,000 in 2023.
The Centre for Volunteering director for research,policy and advocacy Dr Ben Hillier said recruiting had been made trickier this year due to cost-of-living pressures.
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“People are having to pick up extra jobs. P&Cs,the State Emergency Service – everyone is feeling they’re not getting as many volunteers or they’re saying volunteering is changing. A lot of people will do it remotely … like on a phone helpline,” he said.
Northern Sydney P&C district president David Hope said after decades working in schools,while parents had less time,it had also become harder for parents to simply help out in schools.
“As more and more people become less interested in the P&C,they will become even less involved in the school in general,” he said.
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