NCT groups, do they cater for all social classes?

[fairyfeet]

Is it just me or does any one else feel slighly inferior within NCT groups? I personnally found I did not have a great deal in common with other members who all seemed a fair bit older and wealthier? I felt some of them looked down their nose at me living in my ex council house with my rather mediocre (but happy) job and life.

NCT group was fun and we've kept in touch with most of them. But the NHS antenatal class was much better for practical, helpful and up-to-date medical info and advice.

joining fee is optional though

i am involved with nct so find this interesting

I knew I wasn't going to like my antenatal classes first time around when we had to go round the circle introducing ourselves, and everybody was all "Oh I'm Arabella, I'm 35 and I'm a sooper-dooper high-flying manager type and I drive a merc" or words to that effect.

I too was tempted to say I was a poledancer or something similar...

ooops they weren't NCT classes, they were NHS ones! However as cod says, depends on the type of people who go as to whether you get on, which I think has less to do with social class and more to do with attitude.

Interesting comments. I have been involved with local NCT for the last 10 years. Your local branch is only as good as it's volunteers. Everyone you meet apart from an ante natal teacher is a volunteer, giving up their time and homes to help new and expectant Mums.

In my time helping out I found that most people were new to the area and knew very few local people when they first came along. Many people who go to university end up re-locating away from their families sometimes leaving them 100's of miles away. I think this is where the middle class element comes from.

Many Mums were going back to work full time and keen to give their child to anyone who would look after them.

I joined the NCT to meet people, I met loads and became very involved locally but there are many people out there that just use the local support, moan about it and give nothing back.

If you don't like something about your local branch, join the committee and make a difference.

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Have just started NCT classes and most of the people are on the older/posher side, but not that surprising as it did cost about £200 which is quite a lot if you're about to go on mat leave.

That said, I'm very impressed so far, and if mine is anything to go by it is worth it if you can afford it.

FLUM: I have been a member for three years and I have NEVER been told that the joining fee is optional! Are you sure about this? If so I'll renew for another year (are the renewal fees optional too?).

MP, the joining fee is def. not optional no. Not round here anyway. If you want to become part of the branch you need to join. You can't be a committee member without joining and you won't be covered by NCT insurance if you hold coffee etc in your own home.

Some branches let you into the Nearly New Sales early with a membership card too.

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I think most mums find the £36 a LOT of money, even if they aren't on benefits! It's stopped me from renewing this year.

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Its a shame that its called a 'membership', if it was changed to 'donation' maybe people wouldn't begrudge it...after all a lot of people regularly donate 2 or 3 pounds a month to other charities. (which equates to the same). I get the £1 annual fee as am on low income but think maybe a 'membership' somewhere in the middle i.e. £15 per year or £7.50 for low income would be better than the current rates.

IRT nct coffee groups I am low income, joined in my early 20s and have found them absolutely amazing. I have made tonnes of friends. I got lucky with my first coffee group, other people I know tried out a few to find the one they liked/felt most comfortable with. I guess if you have other support around you there is less incentive to 'persevere'?

Also IRT NCT classes, I have been training as an NCT antenatal teacher and find there are lots of people coming up through the training who are not wealthy middle class women so you may see a change in the face of the NCT. If you would like to assist this then why not contact them and help out/train yourself!

Joining is optional if you only want to attend antenatal classes. I've done the classes and met up with my group on a regular basis and have never joined. Mainly it's the amount. If it was half that I might join but feel this can't be justified when I am not earning.

mixed experience really. bit of a mare with first ante natal class. members ran the middle class spectrum from boho/arty/media/teaching to lawyers/accountants/ex ps "pr" people. the group seemed divided between the "bohos" and the "sloanes". since i am a city accountant (but a guardianista nonetheless) and dh is an ex public schoolboy (but an academic) - we didn't really fit in with either set of people! the people i have met since joining a tea group on mat leave with dd have been a much nicer bunch. very mixed in terms of occupation and wealth, but pleasant and not at all snobbish.

despite the disparity in incomes i would say ime it is exclusively middle class though.

I dont know where I would be without my NCT friends, luckilly I think I joined in with a very nice group. We have stayed in touch for 3 years, however, a few of us have been to B & B meetings and felt totally out of place. I had an office job working for a marketing co, nothing special in that, another was a nanny, another was a physio, another was a marketing manager and another one worked in accounts. All very down to earth people and we have all been a great support to one another. I think its just pot luck who will be in your class

Just to clarify about the membership fee. It is a donation to the NCT but all activities are open to both members and non members. If any branch is excluding non members from any activities then UK Office would want to know about it.

If you want to be on the commitee then you do have to be a member. This is both to cover events insurance wise and to make sure that the people running the branches know the ethos and rules of the NCT. The NCT could not operate without its membership fees, we are a charity after all.

You don't have to be a member to host a coffee morning, but the coffee group rota organiser has to be a member and at least one member should be present and a sign/sticker should be displayed saying this is an NCT event.

I live in a predominantly working class area and there is a predominance of more middle class, educated people attending events. However I beleive that this is due to the huge Sure Start Scheme operating in the city. The NCT mops up the parents in the areas not covered by Sure STart who are excluded by postcode from these activities. We also have a high percentage of people who have moved in to the area and don't know anyone attending.

Back again, sorry to have been so lame in response to the first thread I have ever started on mumsnet. Suppose I should have expected a slight roasting for a subject that is a tad on the controversial side. Anyway been sooo busy with college work I have been unable to post.

Just to set the record straight, to all you snobs...being young and new to the mortgage market, I could not at that time afford much else than an ex council house. However am now working my way up the social ladder and who knows I may even be on my way to joining skibunny's NCT group shortly so that I can set the record straight on matlins quality clothing range!

As I was particularly interested in breastfeeding and natural childbirth methods I found the NCT group informative but lacking in a good diversity of people (in my area anyway)I just wondered if other people had similar experiences to me or if it was soley down to my inferiority complex! I agree the introductory circle was a bit too much like alcoholic annonymous styley for me! However I did meet some lovely people despite my run ins with class snobbery. I do think that perhaps a little more advertising may see more people interested as those on low incomes are also concerned with childbirthing issue's.

OI Fairyfeet!! What's wrong with Ex-Council houses???!??