Our new Parent Champions share their reasons and expectations for volunteering

With Volunteers Week fast approaching, what better time to celebrate the continual dedication, commitment and hard work of the Parent Champions schemes running across England.

Parent Champions are parent volunteers who give a few hours a week to talk to other parents about the local services available to families. They help the parents around them get the support they need to improve their family life and their children’s outcomes.

We spoke with some of our new Parent Champions about why the decided they wanted to volunteer and what they look forward to doing.

 ‘I believe there are a lot of people struggling who are not aware of certain services. Some just need direction or support to take the first step. I feel that the community will begin to flourish and evolve’. Parent Champion

‘My community will definitely benefit – happier parents make a difference!’ Parent Champion

All new Parent Champions take part in a training course to help support them in their new role and give them the skills and confidence to talk to families within their communities.

‘The Parent Champion training was a great experience for me. It opened my eyes to a lot of things that can make a difference to helping parents’. Parent Champion

Our new passionate and enthusiastic Parent Champions are keen to get out and about supporting local families. They are most looking forward to:

‘Offering support and helping new people’. Parent champion  

‘Meeting and helping parents to the best of my ability’. Parent Champion

As a result of all the dedicated individuals involved, the Parent Champions programme continues to grow. We are really excited about expanding the Parent Champions National Network to other areas of England, Scotland and Wales this year as well as working with a charity in Jersey to set up a scheme there.

In addition to the support Parent Champions offer to families who may feel isolated and unsupported, we focus on communities where the take up of free childcare among two year olds is low to help make sure two year olds have access to the childcare they are entitled to that can help boost their outcomes in life. We are also keen to promote the benefits of home learning and make sure that Parent Champions schemes offer effective support to parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities and families living in rural areas.    

We would like to use this opportunity to thank the amazing individuals who volunteer their time in order to support families in their local communities and to welcome all the new schemes joining us on this exciting journey!

You can learn more about becoming a Parent Champion here or setting up a Parent Champions scheme here.