Home Visiting Volunteer
All Home-Start volunteers have parenting or caring experience and they know how challenging it can be to raise a family.
As a Home-Start volunteer, you will make a lasting difference to lives of parents and children in your community.
Volunteers come from all backgrounds and have a wide range of life experience which means they understand about the challenges of family life. At Home-Start we know that a little help at the right time can make the world of difference. As well as helping others, volunteering is very rewarding. It’s a great way to meet new people, improve confidence and self esteem, learn new skills and gain valuable work experience.
How much time do I need to give? Most home visiting volunteers give a couple of hours each week.
Where would it be? At the family home
What does it involve? The role is varied as every family is different. A Home-Start volunteer is a helping hand and a listening ear. Your time with the family could include:
- Talking and listening
- Having fun with children
- Supporting families to get out and about
- Practical help
Do I need any special skills or experience? Non-judgemental with an understanding of the challenges of family life, kind and compassionate, great organisational skills, practical, enthusiastic. Most volunteers have parenting or caring experience, for everything else, full training is provided. Training is a combination of online and face to face sessions. All volunteers receive regular support from a named co-ordinator.
All home visiting volunteers are subject to an enhanced DBS check and references are required.
Could you help an Island family?
What kind of families would I be helping?
All kinds of families can find it hard to cope, for all sorts of reasons. Maybe they need support because of the illness or disability of a child, or because of a parent’s post-natal illness, bereavement or loneliness. Whatever the reason they come to Home-Start families are offered non-judgemental, confidential support.
The families that we work with, like our volunteers, come from all walks of life.
Through your training the Home-Start team will get to know you and will match you with a family where they think you will be able to make the most difference. You may share a similar experience, you may come from a similar background, or they may think that you would just be the perfect match.
Can my support and friendship really make a difference?
All parents know that those early years before school are vital in a child’s life and at Home-Start we believe parents have the key role in creating a secure childhood for their children. It’s just that sometimes they need a bit of help…your help.
Do I need any qualifications to be a volunteer?
We also offer training and support throughout your time with us.
What is the commitment for Home-Start volunteers?
What would I get out of volunteering for Home-Start?
We know that volunteering with us can also have a huge impact on our volunteers life to, our research tells us that our volunteers have:
- better health and well-being;
- improved personal and skills development;
- improved chances for work
- and more self-confidence