Having had children herself, Nicola knew the struggles that parents can have – particularly if they have little to no support elsewhere. Nicola knew that, with her experience of working in a preschool and the knowledge she had from the various courses she’d done, she could offer some valuable support to parents in need. With her own children grown up and more time on her hands, Nicola has been volunteering with Connection Support for three years; providing valuable support to families on the Boost (now Thrive) Service.
Nicola is hands-on when it comes to offering support, often helping parents who are struggling with boundaries and behaviours of their children.
In her role, she offers advice and guidance, and may signpost parents to websites and/or courses if she thinks they could be of benefit. With her preschool background, Nicola brings a wealth of skills to her volunteer role, and can confidently pass on information or strategies to families in need. When she sees the positive impact her advice has, and how effective what she’s recommended is, she gets a great deal of satisfaction. She knows that her input is helping to make family life a little bit calmer for the families she supports. Not to mention that she enjoys getting to meet new people, and develop good relationships with both the parents and children too.
Not only does Nicola provide invaluable support to families in need, she’s also benefitted from volunteering. She said: “I have gained new information which also helps me in my day job. I feel lucky that I have had a positive impact in my families lives, and I have been able to provide them with support for the time I have been with them.”
When asked what advice she’d give someone who was thinking about volunteering with Connection Support, Nicola said: “If someone has the care and compassion necessary to be able to support a family, I would recommend volunteering. Time and dedication are also important, along with good listening skills. It is a very worthwhile experience, volunteering with a family.”
