Your personal link to the NCT and the support we can offer you!

Whilst the birth of a new baby is the most amazing thing, the transition to parenthood can, at times, be hard and it can feel overwhelming, as well as wonderful and joyous! With this in mind the NCT in Rugby has a network of volunteers who give up their time to be able to pass on support in the form of social events, phone calls, emails etc to try to help the transition to parenthood to be as smooth for you as it can be. They are our Link Parents!

Link parents have all experienced what it is to be a new parent and feel that the support of others at that time was really important. As such, they like to give something back! Link parents don’t have any professional training, they're simply parents who want to help other new parents.

When you attend an antenatal course with NCT Rugby you'll usually meet your link parent(s). If you have not been on one of our courses but feel you would like to join a group with a link parent please get in touch. Link parents are often mums but partners/husbands sometimes get involved and meet the new dads too. The aim of these groups is to help you to form a network of people who you can talk to and draw on during the first few months and indeed years of the life of your new babies. We’re here to say that we understand. We’re here to help if we can.

Could you be a link parent?

We have slightly altered the system of volunteer support we offer to antenatal groups, mostly in name but also to make the role a little less demanding for those who volunteer. Here is a brief overview of what we would expect:

• Meet the antenatal group and arrange an evening get-together
• Be 'the friendly face of the NCT' (e.g. invite the expectant or new parents to our Coffee Mornings and other events)
• Introduce members of the group to other local activities by inviting them along to places you would normally attend
• Forward information about other NCT events

Corinna is our support parent co-ordinator and needs new volunteers to support groups with babies due this year. The only thing you need is the experience of what it is like to be a new parent!

If you are interested please get in touch with Corinna. Please email: corinnarobson@hotmail.co.uk

Each antenatal group usually has two link parents, but if you do not know anyone to share a group with, don't worry, Corinna can pair you up with another volunteer.