From parent to volunteer and now a member of staff, Hanna’s journey with Family Action has come full circle. She shares with us how the Supportive Steps service changed her life and why helping other families is now the most rewarding part of her role. As well as how a summer event with the families and volunteers who have become such an important part of her life, helped deepen connection in her community.
Last summer we organised a baby sports day. All three of my children were at the event – a two-year-old, a five-year-old and a seven-year-old – and all of them took part. My eldest is very sociable, and he loved helping with the ladies at the service handing out the certificates at the end.
The baby sports day made us feel more like a community rather than women going to a baby group - It just felt like this massive family had come together.
Although I saw all the people there every week it was nice to see them outside of the usual setting. Usually there’s that fear when you go to an event where you won’t know anyone and because my two-year-old is a force to be reckoned with I get anxious about taking them out. But everyone there was so lovely, and I knew so many people and felt so comfortable, that I didn’t need to be anxious.
Soon the project coordinator said “look…you’re already volunteering for another service, and we know you’re confident – why don’t you volunteer here?”
I’ve personally worked with women who were struggling with the parenting role and not leaving the house who now attend regularly and have even come to volunteer as I did.
You can see the difference… It’s like night and day.
I told them in the interview that I wanted to reach out to people and be the light at the end of the tunnel that they’d been for me.
When they told me there was a job opening and I should apply I hadn’t been in work since I had my eldest, who’s now eight, and I understood that there would be a massive jump. That move was very daunting, and even in my interview I was thinking “I can’t do this”.
They reminded me they’d told me about the position because I’d done such a good job volunteering, but my imposter syndrome meant that I was like “you’re lying… stop being nice!”.
I’m so glad I applied though, as sometimes I’m amazed that this is my job – I help run baby groups and get to cuddle babies!
Seeing a mum progress is the best part of my role and that progress, even if it’s tiny, is something that I hold so dearly. It’s not about me. It’s about them.
There are difficult days, and sometimes you’re faced with a situation that you can’t help with. Especially for the role we do… We’re based out of different family centres, in some circumstances we can’t do home visits, and we work with people who are involved with social care, so sometimes decisions are out of our hands.
It’s just beautiful chaos… there’s around 20 adults and children and there’s noise, toys, tantrums and tears (on occasion), but every child enjoys themselves and every parent is happy.
It’s rewarding to work for a service that cares and creates the spaces we do. The groups we run feel like an encapsulation of love.
