Kersha’s Story: A rewarding experience volunteering for Mums Matter

“…it has been lovely to see the difference the course has made and is continuing to make to the mums and their families.”

As a home-visitor volunteer for Home-Start Manchester I was given the opportunity to attend the Mums Matter training course. Having done the training course and learnt what the aim of the course is and how the facilitators would go about supporting the mums that would attend the course I could see that this course was going to be a lifeline for mums in our community. So when I was asked by Clare, my Home-Start Coordinator if I would like to co-facilitate the course as a volunteer with Carrie and Tracy I was honoured.

I joined my first course group a couple of sessions in but Carrie had told the mums who I was and what my role would be and asked if they would be happy for me to join them. When I joined I was made to feel welcome by the mums and by Carrie and Tracy who instantly made me feel part of their team. I quickly slotted in and found that I was able to make the mums feel comfortable about talking honestly and openly about their thoughts and feelings on life as a mum as I did the same.

As well as the structured part of the course I co-facilitate the peer support sessions, which are more informal and a lovely way for the mums to bond further.  It is nice that I can be a part of this too as the mums see me as a friend, who they can have a laugh and joke with as well as somebody they can talk to about more serious matters.

I have helped facilitate two courses so far and it has been lovely to see the difference the course has made and is continuing to make to the mums and their families. Being a part of the Mums Matter course and team has also had a positive impact on my life. Being able to see (via Zoom) and talk to other mums on a weekly basis and building relationships has improved my wellbeing. I have more structure to my weeks and something extra to look forward to. I too am learning from the course and from the mums, which is something I didn’t anticipate when I agreed to be a part of it.

Being a volunteer, I am supported by Carrie with check-in chats and supervisions. As I had never volunteered in this capacity before this support has meant a lot to me because I know that should I need to look at my own wellbeing I can go to Carrie and she would help me do that.

“The feeling of feeling valued and cared for as a volunteer makes all the difference and definitely has to me.”

Volunteering has actually given me another sense of purpose and aside from being a mum is the most rewarding thing I have done in my life.

Find out how you can become a Mums Matter Volunteer