P&Cs are often approached by businesses, banks and other financial institutions offering fundraising opportunities.

The involvement of schools and P&Cs in such programs is not appropriate as they can be perceived as endorsing the organisation and thereby the financial product, or may also be seen as acting as an agent for the business because they receive a commission.  Endorsement of any organisation or its offering contradicts the Department of Education's policy.

Involvement in these schemes would clearly be an advertising or sponsorship arrangement. P&Cs may enter into sponsorship or advertising arrangements, e.g. commercial advertising in the P&C newsletter, as long as there is no perception of endorsement of the product or service, and the commercial sponsor or advertiser is compatible with the ethos of public education.  Any sponsorship arrangement initiated by the P&C must be approved by the principal as being consistent with departmental policies.

Involvement by P&Cs in loan or credit introduction programs is not supported by the department, as the department and P&Cs may be perceived as endorsing such schemes.

For further information please click on the following link to the Fundraising Checklist.

Gaming Fund and other grant applications should indicate a sponsor for unincorporated bodies and the P&C should nominate the school as the sponsor. Schools are incorporated under Education (General Provisions)Act 2006 (which comes under "another act of parliament" on the Gaming Fund Application)

For further information on the Parents and Citizens and Other Associations Retail Award please follow the link below:

P&C Award Details

For example, the Outside School Hours Care service known as Wonderland OSHC operated by the Wonderland State School P&C Association would need to identify the name of the entity, being Wonderland State School P&C Association on all business stationery, statements, receipts and promotional material including handbooks.

Therefore, the business letter head should clearly state the name of the entity apart from what type of service the entity provides as per the example below. This example uses a significantly different font size to describe who the entity is, in contrast to the services that the entity provides.

Wonderland State School P&C Association

Outside School Hours Care

The reason for this is that the client needs to be informed about whom they are dealing with as the organisation or entity. In this instance, Wonderland Outside School Hours Care is not an organisation on its own, the sponsor body is the organisation that the clients are dealing with. Outside School Hours Care is the type of service which that organisation or association provides.

Such requirements exist for all materials where the business name of the entity is used.

There are different requirements for Incorporated Associations and Pty Ltd Companies. These types of businesses may not need to register their name if they operate under the name of the Association or Company. Further information should be sought from the Office for Fair Trading.

A P&C may choose to register the business name of the OSHC service. Further information can be accessed from Fair Trading on
13 13 04, including business name registration forms. www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au/

Please note: Penalties / fines for non compliance with this requirement can be up to $3000 depending on how long the entity has been using the unregistered name.

Outside School Hours Care services operated by a P&C Association should be registered under and use the ABN held by the P&C Association, not their own. If your service does have its own ABN, please contact Government Liaison Officer on (07) 3213 8828 from the Australian Taxation Office for further advice and information on how to go about amending the registration.

Any queries may also be directed to either QCAN on (07) 3352 3499 or:
QCPCA on (07) 3352 3900 or
ACSEA on (07) 3852 5177

Why join the P & C?

What does a P & C do?

The functions of a P & C are:

• To encourage closer cooperation between the parents, members of the community, the staff and students of the school;
• To provide advice and recommendations to the Principal on issues & concerns in respect to the student body and the general operations and management of the school;
• To provide or assist in the provision of financial or other resources, services for the benefit of students of the school;
• To participate in any committee or other body comprising members of the school and wider community, which will contribute to the general benefit of students attending the school.

How you can help

Are you interested in contributing your thoughts on school policy; do you have an hour or two to spare to assist in the bookshop, uniform shop or canteen; can you find 2 hours once a month to attend a P&C meeting? These are all ways you can be part of your schools P&C.

There are a number of ways to be involved:

• Just by joining your P & C you add your voice to what’s happening in the school;
• Attend P&C meetings;
• Uniform Shop volunteer;
• Tuckshop volunteer;
• Classroom helper;
• School Council / committee member.

You can contribute opinions on:

• Positive School wide Behaviors;
• Student Dress Code;
• School Routines;
• P&C Budget;
• School Budget;
• School surveys.

Remember: the things you do make a real difference so why not Join Your P & C

Please contact your school for more information on how to become involved in your P & C and its activities.