Jon's journey: Parent Action Volunteer
From Next Door to Belonging: Jon’s Journey into Volunteering with Parent Action
A local resident for the past decade, Jon has been a volunteer with Parent Action for just over a year. He first reached out to volunteer with a simple, heartfelt motivation: he wanted to prepare for fatherhood. Though he doesn't yet have children of his own, Jon felt drawn to contribute to and build links with his local community. As a space that supports parents and uplifts families, Parent Action was the perfect place.
Volunteering in our MumSpace groups has, in his words, become “a beautiful reset”; a grounding force that has brought new perspective, creativity, and playfulness into his daily life and work. He shares how stepping into the vibrancy and vulnerability of these spaces has strengthened his resilience and patience, helping him grow not just as a professional, but as a person.
“Being part of this beautiful chaos has been formative. It reminds me how resourceful and hard-working parents are, and how essential it is to build real community; to engage in what truly matters: improving the lives of children and enriching our relationships across difference.”
Jon’s reflections point to something deeper than volunteering as a checklist of good deeds. What he describes is a shift from simply coexisting with others to belonging with them—feeling part of something larger, relational, and purposeful.
“I’ve come to truly understand what it means not just to live next to people in my community, but to be with them, to be part of them. This is what real belonging feels like.”
In MumSpace, Jon has witnessed how small acts of care can ripple outward. He’s seen children grow in confidence, parents regain their footing, and how a welcoming, parent-led space can become the roots of real change.
“One of the most inspiring things about Parent Action is how genuinely welcoming and parent-led the MumSpace groups are. The grassroots of change starts right here.”
“Volunteering teaches us that change begins not in grand gestures, but in small, consistent acts of presence. Jon’s journey reminds us that when we choose to belong, serve, and listen — we don’t just support others; we transform ourselves. One volunteer at a time, we build the future we believe in.”
Reflections on Jon's volunteering experience:
Jon’s journey with Parent Action shows what happens when we move from being bystanders to becoming active members of our community. By stepping into relationship, listening deeply, and standing in solidarity with local parents, Jon discovered that real change starts with people; and that in serving others, we often find a deeper sense of purpose ourselves. This is grassroots leadership in action.
“Parent Action is truly led by the people — it exists to serve, not to impose. It’s the definition of grassroots: change that grows from within the community, shaped by those who live, parent, and care within it.”
— Jon, Parent Action Volunteer