about the NCT?

[happyhopefulmummy]

I joined the NCT when pregnant with my first (and only) child. Went to classes, met some ladies who I still see sometimes now. This was what I wanted the NCT for. I don't really use NCT for anything anymore. I get their green newsletter telling me about stuff going on in the area, and the quarterly magazine. I sometimes find the green newsletter useful.

However, I've just received notice that they will be taking £40 from my account for the next years membership. I'm thinking about cancelling it. I can't see the point. Is anyone else a member and can explain why it's still worth being a member? (Apart from the charity aspect) Maybe I'm missing something.

Hi kungfu, yes I'm south west. It's a real shame as we are real classic nct territory but although there are lots of people happy to sell at nearly new sales or take advantage of the support nct can offer with eg training to be a breastfeeding counsellor, they just don't want to give up time to do the boring bits.

I'm also fed up of being told that nct is just for rich lentil weaving hippies, rather than people seeing what they are actually setting out to achieve (helping soon to be parents and new parents)

Hate to say it, but I feel that when a charity struggles to get volunteers to the extent that they have to give such an uncharitable perk to get a few hours help, then the cause can't really be that worthy. People tend to be generous when they really believe in the charities aims.

I think you have a point Fred. I think nct could really do with investing some time on promoting what they actually do, and probably spend a bit of time reigning in some of the more "aggressive" teachers. When I read their website properly (which I guess I do more than most people, having volunteered for them) you see the really good things they do - and yet all most people think is that they're the group who tell you not to have an epidural, or heaven forbid let yourself get to the stage of a c-section. It's a shame as most teachers aren't like that - in my group, we did a kind of mock up of a c-section to see just how many people would be there.

If our branch closes there will be a lot of people hacked off about the lack of sales though! I still don't think first dibs is such s bad thing either. Anyone can offer to help - we only ask for a couple of hours of people's time and they certainly don't need to be nct members!

I think the nearly new sale perk is a practicaltity too, if your volunteers don't get to shop before the doors open to the public when would they shop? They can't shop while the sale is on as they are making teas, keeping the car park safe, running the tills, keeping the gangways safe etc, it would be very unfair if they gave their time and got to shop last...

There is no point being a member. You've made some friends, that's waht they are for - no other point to them as far as I can see!

Non NCT members can sell stuff or be volunteers at our local NCT sales. Volunteers get first pick of the sale stuff, but once the sale has opened, NCT members get to go in and buy stuff before non-NCT members.

I get a bit hacked off jealous about the whole meet-a-mum antenatal group thing though. I wanted to do that, booked into classes, and then DS decided to arrive early, before I had a chance to get to any antenatal classes

At least the NCT refunded me the money for the classes...

I've recently had my first chils (DS, aged 10w) and have to say that the NCT in my area have been fantastic. I joined for the classes, at the recommendation of my boss (who is still in touch with her NCT group with her DS just celebrating his 18th!). I'm not from the UK, and don't have many friends with children who live nearby, so found it an excellent way to meet other mums-to-be.

Our course teacher was very good - patient, happy to run through all the alternatives for birth plans (we had two planned sections, who were given the support that they needed and plenty of information) and a visit from a breast feeding counsellor. We have all stayed in touch after the course, and been able to email/call/text when we have had questions. The mums now meet weekly to catch up, and it's been a great support network.

The new mums morning tea was a nice opportunity to meet others beyond our class group. I've attended the nearly new sales and picked up some excellent bits and pieces very cheaply. There are also often email messages going around which offer things outside of the sale periods (allowing me to get a while bunch of reuseable nappies in exchange for a donation to the branch)

But the thing that I'm really pleased to hear about is something which is just getting off the ground in our area at the moment, and that's an effort to support our local womens refuges by providing essentials for mothers in need. They have secured some corporate sponsorship, and together with branch volunteers and donations, are arranging for packs of necessities (ranging from nappies through to clothes/toys) to be available to support others. It's that sort of initiative which has impressed me more, and I think it's far too easy for people to knock the NCT as natural-birth/breastfeeding Gestapo without looking into some of the other things that they do... Support evenings at local hospitals, discussion groups and play sessions etc etc.

It's a totally personal thing, and YANBU to make your donations however you wish. But I'd certainly look into some of the stuff they do, and even if not making the monetary donation (though I'm sure it helps!) consider whether you'd like to support them through volunteering for some of the initiatives...

The thing about the "charitable donation" side of things is that the membership fee goes to the central organisation. The local branches rely on fundraising/nearly new sales etc.

For us, we're not that fussed about people paying to join - it's people's time and input that is desperately needed.

What has become clear recently is that a lot of people use NCT-organised services but don't actually click to who is providing them. We have a big, very popular regular baby and toddler group with breastfeeding support, refreshments, toys for older children etc - it is the main place that the HVs and MWs direct brand new mums for help and support. People were shocked recently to be told that the group would close if the situation with the branch doesn't improve - it transpired that most people didn't know it was an NCT service and those that did assumed that the NCT organisers were paid. People might well feel quite strongly about the work of the NCT locally if they actually knew what it was.

I think the NCT could really do with investing some time on promoting what they actually do

This is it exactly! I completely agree. I think they have an image of being for MC mummies only, and I don't think the fact that they have become the only option for ante natal classes in some areas has done them any favours.

I have a friend who has recently had her second baby. She had her first 9years ago when her area still offered NHS ante natal classes, but this time round she has been forced to pay or have no preparation at all. I think for some people that can lead to resentment from the start, because it's easy to feel like you now have to pay the NCT to get what was once available to everyone for free.

I noticed the same thing Kungfu, many people don't connect the local groups with the national organisation, in our town there are plenty of toddler groups but the NCT are the only groups for children under 1 and they are very popular. However they are entirely run by volunteers and people often don't realise that, also they have to self fund, without the NN sales they would go under. CMT - makes a valid point about the helpers getting first pick too, once the doors are open you don't get a moment to yourself for the next two hours, let alone shopping time. A lot of people who help out in our branch aren't actually members, some never have been, but they like to help out anyway.

There is definitely an image problem with the middle class lentil weavery thing though, one of my ante-natal classmates was made to feel like a failure by the teacher for having a c-section, this teacher has a bit of a reputation locally for this sort of thing.

Griffi - that's brilliant about the women's refuge work, what a great thing for your branch to be doing.

If volunteers didn't get to shop before the door opens, when do you suggest they would?

Because IME, from 9 am we set up, no shopping allowed. During the sale itself, we were doing tills, demonstrating equipment and (sadly) doing security. You'd be amazed how much stuff walks!

And then packing up afterwards. It's a big commitment.

There were about 20 helpers when I volunteered, and every one of them more than needed. More than 100 sellers, tables still groaning with stuff after the volunteers had had "their pick." and we paid for it in exactly the same way as anyone else. So failing to see how it's uncharitable.

I run similar sales now for the playgroup, and follow the sand model because it works.

Like I said before, I didn't mean to offend. My saying it seems uncharitable is just my opinion, nothing more.

I appreciate that volunteers wouldn't get the chance to shop if it weren't for this rule, but I think that if you are going to volunteer for a charity then you should be doing it because you believe in the charities aims and you want to help its intended beneficiaries. Not because you want first dibs at some bargains.

It's sad that this is the only way the NCT can recruit enough volunteers to help raise money and provide that service, and maybe if they did promote what they do more, then more people would be willing to donate their time because they want to support the cause.

there were baby/toddler groups before NCT and there would be if it evaporated! you DO NOT need nearly new sales to fund under 1 groups, I live in an area that.. well.. NCT doesn't shall we say "target" (i.e. deprived) and there are LOADS of indi baby/toddler groups. If the NCT left your area the people willing to volunteer would just rearrange themselves and run indi groups/nearly news

I think the NCT has been very clever in making people think they NEED the parent organsiation in order to meet other mums or have nearly new sales or have playgroups. You really don't! Of course in some areas the NCT ones ARE the only ones, but do you think there would be a vacume if the NCT pulled out of that area? no there wouldn't mums would still run groups and nearly news and coffee mornings etc

IMO its really sad that people think they have to pay to meet up with other mums TBH

Errrm, monkey, they're a CHARITY who try to do things to raise money in order to try to help parents (read the thread to see some examples). They're not rubbing toddler groups to pull a fast one - worth repeating the people who are helping there will be VOLUNTEERS who for some unknown reason think that people might appreciate it. It really depresses me that when I have given up literally hours and hours of time to a charity that there are people out there who seem to think I'm doing it for other motives (I can only assume you must think I'm being paid?)

My advice to the op remains the same - its a charity that you can choose to support or not to support.

That would be running toddler groups, not rubbing

"Errrm, monkey, they're a CHARITY who try to do things to raise money in order to try to help parents"

then why don't they raise money for those campaigns in a more honest transparent way?
MOST people who donate to the NCT do not do so because they are choosing to support their campaigns they do so because the NCT has the monopoly on ways to meeting other parents in their area or nearly news etc!

I AM AWARE that they do national campaigns etc, but IMO they way they make themselves indespensible so that poeple HAVE to pay them, rahter than publicing their campaigns so that people choose to donate for that reason, is rather dishonest and unfair!

and spam, I appreciate all the work that everyone (including my DH) puts into voluntarily keeping the indi groups we go to going! I just think its sad that people are being FORCED to donate to a charity that they wouldn't necessarily choose because they've nabbed all the people from an area who are willing to do that sort of stuff!

If you weren't doing it for NCT, would you consider helping an indi group?

"I can only assume you must think I'm being paid?" if you assume that from my posts you are spectacularly missing my point, which is that people would voluntarily run play groups and nearly news without the NCT, but the NCT has in some areas created the false idea that parents couldn't organise themselves to meet up and run groups/sales without them!