We heard rumors that Everton Park State School on Brisbane’s northside had so many volunteers that they were almost tripping over themselves! So, we sent Naomi in to investigate to a) find out if it was true and b) take note of the secrets!
Tuckshop Convenor, Liz, calls herself a schemer… but the reality is she is a community-minded, passionate and thoughtful manager running a successful Tuckshop.
On commencement of her role three and a half years ago, like most schools, the volunteer pool had all but dried up. It was hard to manage and run the place on her own.
Liz advocated for and was successful in obtaining a second paid position to help. This role, currently filled by the wonderful Chloe, takes care of the cooking, sushi service and is that extra set of hands when they run special events, like Meal Deal Days. This position also serves as a backup for both Liz and the rostered volunteers if someone is unable to make it to their volunteer shift.
It is true, through a range of methods Liz has managed to build her pool of volunteers to approximately 30 recruits. There are 23 on a monthly roster and she has a back-up pool of seven more (mainly shift workers or parents who can only commit closer to the time.)
Liz posts the roster and does shift reminders via a Messenger group. If someone’s plans have changed and they are unable to make their shift, the other volunteers rally around and tend to fill the shift themselves.
If no one can do it, Liz puts the call out to her secret weapon: a backup volunteer pool. These are parents who want to volunteer but may not fit the ‘usual’ mold of weekly, fortnightly or monthly shifts.
This approach has been a game changer.
The team have also managed to reduce their volunteer shifts to 2 to 3 hours, which is so much more palatable than parents needing to commit to the entire day.
At its core, Everton Park State School boasts a lovely school community, with around 570 students in attendance. At her core, Liz is community-minded and determined to be part of the school; not just be confined to the walls of the Tuckshop.
For example, she recently volunteered at Chappy’s disco, alongside parents. Through networking and conversations, she lined up two new volunteers for the Tuckshop simply by being present and getting her chat on.
“If you want volunteers from the community, you need to be involved in the community.”
Liz makes sure to include her volunteers in not only school and Tuckshop communication but also taps into ‘mum power’ when deciding on menu changes. This makes them feel valued, gives them ownership, and make them want to help when they can.
In a bid to make operations smoother, Liz also made sure policies and procedures were up to date and easy to follow. She makes it easy for the volunteers to be in the Tuckshop. She wants it to be fun and not stressful. It’s her job to deal with any issues that arise, and she shelters her volunteers from this; ‘We all have enough stress in our work and home lives!’
Liz values volunteer opinions and remembers what they enjoy and what they don’t like. She tries to accommodate this when they come in (i.e. Emma is the dishwasher Queen, while Jacqui is the Toastie Master. The egg slicer is Chantelle’s pet tool and being in charge of the apple-slinkies bring Saah great joy! They organise regular social dinners together, strengthening the feeling of being part of a team.
Volunteers also get a free coffee and toastie while on shift, while their kids get a Juicy Tube. This is another ‘scheme’ that has also made a difference. Kids are so proud to see their parents in the Tuckshop, plus they get an icy-treat. They can’t help but boast about it to their friends.
Another great recommendation from Liz is to set up coffee and morning tea outside the Tuckshop on Prep Orientation Day. It’s an excellent time to meet parents and casually talk to them about how the Tuckshop runs and what roles volunteers help out with.
Liz tries to roster parents together when they have children in the same grade, so they can talk about certain stages or things that might be happening. She also makes a point of ensuring she introduces her volunteers to the School Executive if they happen to walk past. Parents don’t always get the opportunity to meet teachers that aren’t their classroom teachers and so making the point to do this reinforces the community spirit of the school.
Another great avenue to advertise for volunteers is via the Tuckshops online ordering system. Liz will often send out a notice via Flexischools when she’s running short on volunteers. These are the parents who use the Tuckshop and so her success in gaining volunteer hours from them is greater.
Having a large pool of volunteers is wonderful but it does require consistent maintenance. Liz relies on open communication and respectfully reacts when a volunteer’s situation changes.
Volunteers and their children always get a shout-out at the end of the year. When a volunteer is finishing up, Liz always makes a point of thanking them in the newsletter, acknowledging their time of service. During Tuckshop week, the principal gives a Thankyou Certificate to children of the Tuckshop Team. This is great promotion while also acknowledging the great work that the team does.
Thank you, Liz, for all the work that you do for your school community and for sharing your volunteer strategies with QAST. We loved listening and learning and are sure Tuckshops around the state will also benefit from your story.
