My Tip of the Week: Opening Doors to Involvement
I've said for a long time that the key to growing involvement is to start by getting parents into your building. You don't grow involvement by asking for help. You grow involvement by serving. Many attendees at your family events yield more volunteers down the road. Not to mention the fact that -- even if those attendees never volunteer -- your school is already a better place for everyone when parents are interacting with teachers and one another.
Open
ning
ning Doors to Involvement
I elaborated on this concept in a column called ''Open Doors, Lots of Them''. I think you'll like it. But it's worth mentioning that how you open doors is almost as important as opening those doors in the first place. How's your hospitality? Do folks feel welcomed? What about guilt? Is there ever an element of guilt in your approach, as in: "Thanks for coming; this took a lot of work, maybe you could help next time."
While it's certainly true and understandable, it's also exactly the wrong way to build involvement. Treating people well and avoiding guilt is what gets people talking positively about your group and coming back to more events...and eventually volunteering. Of course, that can also work in the reverse if you're not taking the time to make your events feel special.
We've had a ton of community talk about family events and involvement in recent weeks. I hope you'll join in. You can also follow me on Twitter.
I elaborated on this concept in a column called ''Open Doors, Lots of Them''. I think you'll like it. But it's worth mentioning that how you open doors is almost as important as opening those doors in the first place. How's your hospitality? Do folks feel welcomed? What about guilt? Is there ever an element of guilt in your approach, as in: "Thanks for coming; this took a lot of work, maybe you could help next time."
While it's certainly true and understandable, it's also exactly the wrong way to build involvement. Treating people well and avoiding guilt is what gets people talking positively about your group and coming back to more events...and eventually volunteering. Of course, that can also work in the reverse if you're not taking the time to make your events feel special.
I elaborated on this concept in a column called ''Open Doors, Lots of Them''. I think you'll like it. But it's worth mentioning that how you open doors is almost as important as opening those doors in the first place. How's your hospitality? Do folks feel welcomed? What about guilt? Is there ever an element of guilt in your approach, as in: "Thanks for coming; this took a lot of work, maybe you could help next time."
While it's certainly true and understandable, it's also exactly the wrong way to build involvement. Treating people well and avoiding guilt is what gets people talking positively about your group and coming back to more events...and eventually volunteering. Of course, that can also work in the reverse if you're not taking the time to make your events feel special.
We've had a ton of community talk about family events and involvement in recent weeks. I hope you'll join in. You can also follow me on Twitter.
I elaborated on this concept in a column called ''Open Doors, Lots of Them''. I think you'll like it. But it's worth mentioning that how you open doors is almost as important as opening those doors in the first place. How's your hospitality? Do folks feel welcomed? What about guilt? Is there ever an element of guilt in your approach, as in: "Thanks for coming; this took a lot of work, maybe you could help next time."
While it's certainly true and understandable, it's also exactly the wrong way to build involvement. Treating people well and avoiding guilt is what gets people talking positively about your group and coming back to more events...and eventually volunteering. Of course, that can also work in the reverse if you're not taking the time to make your events feel special.
