This month, it’s time to #JoinUsJanuary. Our Stourbridge & Halesowen branch has put together five reasons why you should volunteer with us. Go on, what’s stopping you?
If your New Years resolution was to do something for other people, then volunteering with us will well and truly fulfil that promise. The volunteers at our Stourbridge & Halesowen branch have put together all the reasons why you should volunteer with them, or at your local branch:
I’ll be honest, when I joined NCT I kind of hoped that I might meet one person that I maybe got on with.
I’m not sure who I expected to meet but I have met some of the most down to earth, normal people that I am privileged to call friends.
I have met some amazing people and they are always on hand when one of us is having ‘one of those days’ or just needs to vent about the daily struggles of bringing up toddlers…
Not only have I made some new friends for last minute ‘I need to see an adult and get outside today’ play dates (we’ve all been there…!) but my son has made new friends too.
There are several of us with children a similar age and it’s wonderful that volunteering has not only benefited me but my whole family.
Anything we organise is completely child-friendly
Becoming a parent is wonderful but it does nothing for your social life! Even if you do try to organise something it can be a nightmare when juggling children, their routines and fighting the urge to be in bed by 9pm…
These are things we all understand. Anything we organise is completely child friendly.
There is not an event we do where you won’t find our children hovering somewhere and us multi-tasking (our Nearly New Sale always has a room like a mini crèche with our children playing with the new purchases as we take it in turns supervising the fun!)
Whether it’s as part of an NCT event or through the people that you meet, there are plenty of opportunities get out of the house with or without the kids.
Volunteering can benefit your CV or that job application.
Not only does it show a level of dedication and compassion, but you can also gain or boost many important skills – as well as your confidence.
For example, helping out at any of our groups shows commitment, organisation and an ability to confidently speak to members of the public. Our behind-the-scenes roles can also be just as useful.
For example, being part of our newsletter team demonstrates that you are able to communicate in other ways that are not face-to-face. It shows an ability to work as part of a team that can brainstorm and organise ideas in order to create unique articles to deadlines.
All of the work we do is for local families and children
Maybe you’ve benefited from attending an NCT event, course or group and want to give back.
Maybe your journey into parenthood has given you experience and knowledge that you’d like to share or wish someone had shared with you along the way.
Whatever your reason there is no denying that it’s a great feeling to be able to give something back to your community.
All of the work that we do is for local families and children. We also support Brierley Hill Babybank which is a local charity helping families facing hardship for a variety of reasons and ensuring that they have vital supplies for their babies.
In 2019 we were lucky enough to be awarded NCT’s regional award for Volunteer Team of the Year! This is something that we are really proud of and we feel truly shows how we all work together to achieve the branches goals. This award would not have been possible without everyone working together, pulling resources and skills and helping each other out as needed.
And we’re not the only ones! Tonnes of NCT branches have won awards across the UK for their support of parents locally and nationally.
If you’d like to find out more about volunteering in your local branch, see how to get involved here.
