Let’s hear it for our volunteers!

1-7 June is Volunteers’ Week and we’ll be showing our love and appreciation for our awesome volunteers. Fiona Doyle, NCT London Regional Volunteer Coordinator, explains why they are the heart of NCT and how to get involved with volunteering yourself

The saying goes that volunteers don’t necessarily have the time but they have the heart. That’s why so much of what makes NCT special is our volunteers.

Volunteers are the heart of NCT supporting parents along every step of their journey.

They are at the heart of the charity supporting parents along every step of their parenting journey:

  • We welcome new and expectant parents at our Bumps and Babies groups and Cheeky Monkeys Tea Parties.
  • We create friendships through buggy walks and coffee mornings.
  • We help them bag a bargain at our Nearly New Sales.
  • We support them in their parenting choices with infant feeding peer support, nappy libraries and sling libraries.
  • We fundraise to support initiatives, which benefit local communities.
  • We speak up for them through our campaigning to make positive changes for families.

Obviously, many of these activities have now been put on hold due to social distancing measures but our volunteers have shown such commitment and creativity in moving many events and support online. They still want to make sure they can be there for parents.

Invaluable and tireless

Our volunteers are invaluable, which is why we’re looking forward to celebrating them throughout Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June). The week is a chance to say thank you to the thousands of NCT volunteers across all four nations of the UK.

They are tireless in their enthusiasm for NCT, and a vital source of support for parents who need them.

Who are our volunteers?

All sorts of people are drawn towards volunteering for NCT. While we have many mums on maternity leave, we also have students, retired grandparents, dads, working professionals and people who have don’t have children.

Absolutely anyone can volunteer for NCT! The opportunities on offer for NCT volunteers are so varied that there really is something for everyone.

Why volunteer with NCT?

There are so many skills you could develop by volunteering.

There are so many skills you could develop by volunteering with us. Why not hone your tech skills by becoming a web and social media coordinator? Or develop your networks as an advertising and publicity coordinator? If writing and editing is more your thing, we’re always on the lookout for newsletter and magazine coordinators.

For those who are financially savvy, good with a spreadsheet or great at engaging with people, we have Treasurer roles and fundraiser roles in our branches, too.

Make a difference

Get in touch with your local branch to find out what volunteering opportunities are available or simply have a chat to find out more.

The amazing thing about volunteering with NCT is that while you go into it to help others and make a difference, what you get out of it is so much more than you might first realise.

Some of our wonderful volunteers will be sharing their stories across our social media channels during Volunteers’ Week.

Look out for them on Facebook and Instagram to see why they enjoy being an NCT volunteer.