Volunteering in the education sector

Kerrie’s overriding interest in becoming a governor, though, wasn’t a professional one; it was about supporting the environment where her own children are educated, “where they’re made to feel safe and where their wellbeing is looked after”. She is now the governor with responsibility for health and wellbeing at the school.

Between preparing for and attending meetings of the full governing body, sub-committee meetings, visiting the school, participating in training, and arranging activities at the school, as well as her work as chair of the school’s parent-teacher association, Kerrie estimates her work takes around 48 hours per month, but this ebbs and flows throughout the year. It’s a worthwhile way to spend her time; she sees it as “an investment into [her] community” and an opportunity to “model the values” that she wants her children to have instilled into them.

Kerrie says she didn’t need any particular qualifications in order to become a parent governor – other than having a child at the school! She says the most important thing was having a willingness and enthusiasm to commit to the role.

Her advice to anyone thinking of becoming a governor? “Think very carefully about the reasons why you’re doing it, and be guided by those.”

As part of that role, she helps to refine the charity’s strategies for its work with its partners in Lesotho, and has also had the opportunity to travel to Lesotho and to welcome teachers and officials from Lesotho to Wales. Of her visits there, Catharine says, “they say that going to Lesotho is lifechanging, and it really is. I have Lesotho in my heart and feel part of their community there.”

She was invited to be a member of the committee following her visit to the country with students in one of her previous jobs, but still feels that the charity’s work is exciting. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, her relationship with the charity’s partners in Lesotho changed, and she noticed that they had not only grown in terms of their own skills and capacity, but also in terms of their confidence in their own abilities and systems.

Separately, as a chair of school governors, she meets regularly with the leadership and teaching staff of her school, and sees her involvement as a way to be an active member of her community and to “pay it forward”. She has also developed her communication skills, sometimes taking part in difficult conversations and meetings.

Her advice to anyone thinking of taking up similar opportunities? “Speak with your line manager, think about what kinds of things you’d be interested in doing, and most importantly, believe in yourself that you can do this kind of thing.”

As a governor, Becca acts as a critical friend of the school, helping to set its direction and providing support to its headteacher and learning community. “I don’t have children, so I don’t have many opportunities to engage with children and young people, so I love that being a governor allows me to do that”, Becca says. When she visits the school, she says it is a warm and supportive environment, as well as being an incredibly diverse one, with over 40 languages spoken.

She has been able to use some of her professional experience in her role as a governor, including helping to recruit a headteacher, but for Becca, the main benefit of being a governor is a sense of being connected to her community, and being part of supporting the development of children’s confidence, resilience, and capabilities.

Her advice to anyone thinking of becoming a governor? “Whatever you choose to do, just make sure it’s something you’re really passionate about because then you will find the energy and the time to do it.”

The Open University offers colleagues five days of paid leave per year to perform their duties as school governors.

To search for governor vacancies in your area, either contact your local school, ask your local authority, or visit Governors for Schools.

Visit the OpenLearn Wales collection of Badged Open Courses for school governors.

“My main motivation was to give something back. I’d been a member of NASMA since working at Bangor University many years ago, and had learned so much. 20 years later I was now the person that could answer those tricky questions!”, she said.

Aside from the sense of satisfaction from giving back, and the pride of helping to secure positive change for students, Einir is realistic about the personal benefits of her volunteering. It gave her confidence to apply for her current job at The Open University: “something I would never have done without that extra push being part of NASMA gave me.” She is also personally very interested in student funding policy, and her volunteering has opened up new connections and opportunities for her.

Einir says she can put in as much time as she wants, although then tells me that she meets quarterly with civil servants, four times a year with members, four times a year with the management board, and attends and works at the annual conference. She is also part of a committee responsible for the training and development of members, and does a lot of work by email in between. She’s fortunate that her volunteering aligns so well with her work, such that she is able to do a lot of it during work hours.

As well as her work with NASMA, she is also a volunteer with the Parent-Teacher Association at her children’s primary school in Pontypridd. A lot of the PTA’s activities happen during working hours, so Einir helps in other ways, like sharing posts on social media, organising raffles, and translating documents.

“Play to your strengths,” Einir says. “Find something you’re interested in, and use the skills and experiences you already have in order to give something back.”

Any more advice for someone thinking of volunteering? “Start small and don’t be afraid to give it a go. You may find it snowballs from there! And if it doesn’t work out, don’t beat yourself up.”