This seems a sensible and potentially highly effective initiative. When people feel involved in running an organisation, they tend to value it more and work collaboratively to try to solve problems, rather than dishing out blame and shouting from the sidelines when something isn't working.
Finding volunteers who would be effective in such roles will not be easy, though. I was the manager of a committee-run pre-school for four years before taking it on as my own business. Some committee members had relevant backgrounds; one was trained in early years teaching. But she worked full-time and was not able to devote much energy. The others had no experience of early years and did not understand the nature of my job and that of my staff.
Gradually committee officers wanted to leave their positions because they had other responsibilities, not least doing more paid hours at work. No suitable replacements could be found.
Many pre-schools have parent-run committees, which have been likened to the governing bodies of schools. But unlike school bodies who have a role for parent governors but also contain 'experts' from the community, including the local education authority, many parent-run committees are exactly that, comprising only parents of children who attend the setting. There can be quite a conflict of interests when parents have the power to recruit staff and set wage levels.
Heads and staff in the parent-run Free Schools will face similar problems. Each year when committee members' children leave the setting, they also leave the committee, and it is often extremely difficult to persuade a new set of parents to take on the responsibility. Even if new committee members are recruited, staff have to get used to working under a new set of personalities which can create uncertainty and instability. This cannot be good for children attending the setting. In disadvantaged areas it is particularly difficult to get parents on a voluntary management committee. Barriers include lack of confidence, literacy problems and the energy used up in the daily battle to cope with life with very little money.
The broad aims of the Big Society to get people more involved in their local community are all well and good. But in practice, in a recession, implementing it seems a tall order.
