EXCLUSIVE: Playgroups 'struggling to survive' due to lack of volunteers

A charity is exclusively telling Clyde 1 that playgroups across Scotland are "struggling to survive" due to a lack of volunteers.

Early Years Scotland (EYS) has launched ‘Everything to Play For’, a campaign aiming to highlight the role of playgroups in Scotland’s communities, raise awareness of the issues that are causing many of them to "disappear" in recent years, and encourage volunteers to come forward.

The charity says local playgroups have been a fixture in towns and villages in Scotland for over 50 years, with generations of local families having some of their earliest play and learning experiences alongside other children in church halls and community centres.

EYS also argues that the expansion of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) has seen many parents no longer having the time to volunteer themselves as they have returned to working longer hours.

The Centre playgroup, located in Mount Vernon, says high turnover in volunteers is an issue for them - but also that the cost of living crisis has added to the financial burden for groups.

'Funding and resources are limited'

Manager Elaine Greenshields says inflation is pushing up hall rents, and the cost of resources and equipment.

She said: "I took over a year ago as a manager, and I've gone through two committee members in that time.

"It's usually parents who volunteer, and once they're child goes to school, they leave me.

"I am always having to recruit and it's so tiresome trying to build a repour again and constantly go through that change.

"Funding and resources for us are also so limited.

"We're in a unique position in that we're funded by Glasgow City Council, but we are stretched having to make sure that money pays the rent, pays insurance, pays staff wages, and then resources.

"Let's raise awareness, and let's keep us going - we've been here for 50 years and we want the generations to keep coming through our doors."

Playgroups also say regulatory and other demands placed on early years childcare providers over recent years have presented operational challenges and increased the need for committees to draw on more professional support from communities across Scotland to ensure the playgroup model of ELC is sustainable for future generations.

'Too much to take on alone'

Eliza Scoffield from the charity said: “Almost every town and village in Scotland will have a playgroup, run on a voluntary basis by local parents.

"Many of these groups have been fixtures in their communities for decades, in some cases over 50 years, and different generations of local families have benefited from the invaluable play and learning experiences they provide.

“Changes to childcare provision in recent years has meant that, although playgroups are still very much a vital service, the tasks involved in running the groups have become too much for parent-run committees to take on alone.

“It might not be obvious to people how they could help, but someone with experience in HR, for example, could advise on employment matters, or someone, a retired person perhaps, from an accountancy background could help with the playgroup’s finances.

"There are a variety of ways you could support a playgroup.

"The groups would be delighted with the help, and what better way of volunteering some of your time than ultimately helping the very youngest members of your community.”

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