Media volunteers
By working positively with the media – TV, radio, newspapers, magazine and online – we can put a spotlight on the issues surrounding miscarriage* and pregnancy loss across the UK (and sometimes beyond).
We also aim to raise awareness of the Miscarriage Association so that people know we are here to help them through – and it helps us to reach people who can help us, too. In the longer-term it also increases opportunities to secure funds to help us continue our work, whether from public bodies or individual donors and fundraisers.
(*For ease of reading, we use the word “miscarriage” to include ectopic pregnancy and molar pregnancy.)
What does being a media volunteer involve?
We are looking for people (based in the UK) who feel comfortable enough to talk publicly about their own experience of miscarriage, ectopic or molar pregnancy. That may be the woman who has miscarried or her partner or both.
We ask our volunteers to complete a short form which tells us more about you, your experience of miscarriage, what kind of media you’re willing to talk to and anything else you might want to add. A photo is helpful, but it’s not essential. The more information you can give us on your form, the better we can match you with an appropriate opportunity.
When we receive requests from – or undertake proactive work with – the media, we will contact volunteers who appear to best meet the requirements. Sometimes a journalist might have a very specific request, such as a comment about new research or following a celebrity’s miscarriage; at other times they would just like to hear about someone’s personal experience. You could be the main topic of the article or just be asked to provide a couple of quotes.
Very often requests come in at short notice and so you may get asked to do an interview the same day. We do understand, though, that everyone has commitments and you may not always be able to accept a request.
We promise that we will never give out your details to a journalist without having asked you first. And if the request doesn’t fit well with you, whatever the reason, we will always understand and accept that without question.
If you are considering joining our media volunteer team, you might like to take a look at our Guidance for Media Volunteers, here.
Ready to join our team?
If you would like to join our media volunteer team, please complete and return this form, which you can download as a Word or PDF document.
If you would like to talk it through first, or have any other questions, please contact us.
Read Néna and Nicole’s experiences as media volunteers for the Miscarriage Association. And Keyan, who’s a journalist himself, also writes about why he decided to go public.
