Are Working Bees A Thing Of The Past?

[Shannon Nash]

I am have been in the 'kids at institutions (schools and kinders) age now for a bit over 2 years. I have been to working bees in this time and think the attendance is absolutely pathetic. 40 kids at the kinder 4 couples turn up. Earlier this week I built a cover over one of the sandpits to keep the sun and weather out. I did it with one other Dad and my father inlaw. Great turn out for the advertised working bee.

Now as a kid I wient along with my dad to working bees, I have been excited about the prospect of being able to go to a working bee am I odd? (don't answer that). Why don't people turn up to these things. Why do they prefer to pay a maintenace levy rather than turn up and contribute a couple of hours time?

It would have been nice to have some other people turn up and take an interest in where their child learns.

My two bobs worth!
SN

[Ian Smith]

Shannon,
I don’t think things have changed all that much over the years. I used be a member of the local Scout Group in a small Nth Queensland town and my Dad (and Mum) always showed up for working bees and fund raisers but they were two of only a few and the same faces were there every time.

In more recent times I was the Group Leader for the local Scout Group for about 10 years where I now live and I found the same problem. 100 families in the group and a half dozen volunteers for the working bees.

If I could just share my observations - At one end of the spectrum you will always have the few genuine willing helpers and at the other end you always have a few genuine ar#$holes who think the world owes them a living. However in the middle you have that big bunch who, for a variety of reasons/excuses, just don’t bother.

As a parent going to working bees for the schools and groups my kids were involved in I found the one thing that really got my goat was the lack of organisation of these things. It’s all very well to say there’s a working bee on to do this or that, but you need organisation. Who knows what has to done who has the skills, who will bring what tools etc. People’s time is valuable so don’t waste it. The last thing you need is a whole bunch of folk all with shovels and no rakes or wheel barrows standing around wondering what to do and thinking that they could be home cleaning the pool or watching the football.
I found as the Scout Group Leader that people are more likely to be a part of something if they are asked directly rather than through a general newsletter item saying that next weekend we are building a shed etc. I found the most effective way to get people on board was to get those few reliable, always turn up to everything type people to be responsible for a small groups of the rest to whom they go directly to ask if they could help. Make sure they know what’s expected of them, what to bring and, if possible how long you will need them for.
Just my thoughts
Ian

[Gra]

A lot of people are time crunched, and any time at home with the kids is precious, those that dont work at the weekends may also have other activities already organised (Sports, or other hobbies etc). Depending on haw many kids you have and what their interest are, There is a proliferation of oranisations asking for working bees, you have primary school, playgroup, creche, childcare, scouts, sports clubs, etc. If you do all these when so you get a chance to do maintenance on your own place.

People will sit down and do the sums, if the maintenance fee is less than what they are willing to pay to spend time with their kids at home, they will pay it

[jmk89]

I have to say that the working bees at the kindergartens at North Sydney and Killara that our kids attend(ed) have been really well attended (between 30 and 45% of families).

Why?

• The staff were there.
• There was a parents support group already in place to make it clear that this was a part of being part of the Pre-school.
• It was clear that no-one had to do more than 1-2 hours work.
• Plenty of notice given, but also a blitz of advertising in the last week.
• Focus on involving the kids in the working bee and having things for them to do at the same time (increases pressure to go so they can be with their friends).

[Ian Smith]

Gra,
The problem with the "pay as you go" approach is that you start to exclude those who genuinely can't afford it.

Some situations do not lend themselves to the "some pay and some do" approach

Ian

[Gra]

Gra,
The problem with the "pay as you go" approach is that you start to exclude those who genuinely can't afford it.

Some situations do not lend themselves to the "some pay and some do" approach

Ian

didn't say it was right, just how I see things happening....

[munruben]

I use to work out in the bush many years ago and a lot of work got done on community halls etc with working bees. They had great turn out of people and they made a day out of it. BBQ etc and kids came along and joined in the activities.

[Bluegum]

its kind of sad to see things going this way. I remember as a youngster most people would pitch in and have a go. Now days people seem a bit shy to help out. Perhaps a lot of this publiic liability stuff that has been doing the rounds could be scarying them off as well.

Then there are the down right rude ones who dont seem to care as long as they get what is theirs. My wife and I were involved with my sons day care centre Xmas party last year. I ran the BBQ and we struggled to keep the food up. No one offered to help out but quite a few complained that they hadn't had their sausage sanga.

There will be no XMAS BBQ this year as the company who owns this centre feels that there could be some laibility issues if some one gets sick from it. Kinda sad really that kids miss out because of things like that.

[Buzza]

I have a great neighbour who gives me time every week, and I struggle to be able to help him in most ways as he never stops doing. As for the rest of the population, they seem so different now, than from when I was a kid over fifty years back. From personal experience, I witness annually, a gathering of about two hundred kids who do a performance. During the two months leading up to that performance, just a handful of women work to get it all together, and maybe four men. Three of the men are not connected in any way, but volunteer. When the perfomance is on, most parents show up, and whinge about the drinks being sold for half the price they would pay at a snack bar. Yes, they whinge about funds being raised for the kids.

I see a lot of young people near where I live who are unempoyed and lay about on the front yards of their homes. They could be raising vegetables and fruit as well as keeping a few chooks, but don't seem to want to have a working bee for themselves even. Bloody sad lot.

I must find room for some chooks meself.

[dazzler]

Hi shannon

Dont think people are lazy or pathetic generally, most are just busy.

Here is my week.

Mon - work, son1 has soccer 4-5.45 then hapkido 6-7.30
Tue - work, son2 has swimming 3.45 to 5
Wed - work, son1 has music 3.30 to 5
Thur - work, coach soccer 4 to 5 with son2, son1 soccer 4 to 6
Fri - work, son2 soccer 6 to 7.30
Sat- coach soccer in morning

And thats just organised activities. So add in cooking, gardening, looking after 1 yo, washing car, spending time with kids. I do canteen each fortnight and help out with cooking etc at school for events etc.

I think today we just run out of time.

cheers

[dazzler]

Then there are the down right rude ones who dont seem to care as long as they get what is theirs. My wife and I were involved with my sons day care centre Xmas party last year. I ran the BBQ and we struggled to keep the food up. No one offered to help out but quite a few complained that they hadn't had their sausage sanga. .

Were you rude to them. Thats what I do, tell em to get stuffed, most whiners are gutless and a few nice words work wonders.

Get your own ^^&%% sausage you sook

[Tonyz]

out here we dont have working bees rather they are called -ups and we'll do a few jobs while we're there. always great attendances but then all these guys are local farmers so they can march to their own time

[Shannon Nash]

I too have three kids Dazzler, aged 2, 4 & 7, I have a week not unlike your own. I don't go to working bees every weekend just a couple of times a year. I see it as the best way to meet the people to whom we entrust our kids and to say thanks for the job they do.
My son has told me that he wants to see the shelter over the sand pit that his dad made.
This gave me the chance to use the skills I have and the tools I am priveledged to own.
We live in such a lucky country and much of our short heritage I suspect that has made it such a place involved people working together and getting things done. Not to get paid for it, not for recognition but to contribute and pull their weight.
I will try and keep attending these things and take on some advice such as specific job allocation, preparation and a personal approach to inviting people to be involved.
Cheers
Shannon

[Bluegum]

Were you rude to them. Thats what I do, tell em to get stuffed, most whiners are gutless and a few nice words work wonders.

Get your own ^^&%% sausage you sook

Yeah I had a case of the Travis Tritts big time but my wife sugested that I leave it alone and slow down the cooking just to annoy them a bit more. In some ways that was that was just as good as having a stand up in fron't of them.

[Waldo]

Are they dead? Dunno. But I help out at working bees at the church I go to and at a Retirement Home at Ringwood.

People give up their time to help me, so I return the favour - whether it be to the person in return for helping me or just someone else. Just trying to give back in ways that I can.