How To Help An ADHD Charity

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) usually starts in children from about 18 months, although it's most noticeable in kids aged seven to ten. It's the most common behavioural disorder in children, and can lead to them becoming restless and distracted, finding it hard to concentrate, talking a lot and interrupting other people.  

WHY VOLUNTEER WITH AN ADHD CHARITY?

As children with ADHD can find it difficult to control their speech and actions, it can be quite a stressful thing to cope with for the whole family. This is where an ADHD foundation can help. It can offer support, counselling and behavioural therapy to help with issues that can continue into adulthood.  

You can make a real difference to people's lives when you volunteer with an ADHD charity. Spending time helping children overcome their difficulties can be really rewarding, while you may find that certain roles might lead to further opportunities. That could be for other volunteering roles or even as a potential career path.  

HOW TO HELP ADHD CHARITIES

Volunteer At A Youth Club

Youth clubs can provide a fun place for children to get involved with all sorts of activities, whether it's playing with their friends or learning a musical instrument. You may find an ADHD charity that puts on a youth club, which may only require a couple of hours of your time each week.  

Help At A Support Group

Support groups can be a huge source of strength to parents and children affected by ADHD. They show that lots of other people are in the same position, and can provide them with useful tools to keep on moving forward. Whether you're leading a session or helping with refreshments, you can show your support too.  

Volunteer With A Helpline

Some of the UK's leading ADHD charities offer helplines that provide support for both children affected by ADHD and their families. Listening to a child or giving advice to a parent who may be feeling the stress through a helpline is a great way to help, as you may be able to have a really positive impact on a family's daily life.  

Get Involved With A Campaign

The mental health and wellbeing of children is something we should all take care to nurture and protect. Awareness is something that can help with this, and there are lots of ways you can get involved with specific campaigns. For example, you could promote campaigns and hashtags on your social media accounts, or help with handing out leaflets and flyers at events.  

Become A Minibus Driver

If an ADHD charity puts on regular events and outings to get children involved in fun activities, they may have their own minibus for getting everyone around. As long as you meet certain criteria, you can drive a minibus with up to 16 passengers in the UK, so that's plenty of kids who can enjoy daily trips or exciting residential stays.  

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOLUNTEER

• If you volunteer in a role where you work directly with children, you'll have to go through the usual background checks that are routine in these instances.  
• You'll need plenty of training for certain volunteering roles too, such as if you want to work with a helpline. This may mean you're required to make a minimum time commitment, so a charity doesn't waste its resources.  

WHERE TO GET STARTED

People's Postcode Lottery is proud to support small local charities that can make a huge different in their communities, including:  

Dundee and Angus ADHD Support Group

HELPING DESERVING CAUSES

If you'd like to know more about getting involved in volunteering in your community, take a look at our Local Causes page and find opportunities near you.