Volunteer support

Home-Start provides informal, friendly family support in families homes or via telephone video calls. Very simply, volunteers offer regular support, friendship, and practical help to families under stress in their own homes where they feel comfortable and in control.

The idea is that your Home-Start volunteer visits you in your own home for up to 4 hours each week or calls you once a week for up to an hour on a day and time that is agreed. The visits are flexible, and you decide together how your support will be shaped.

Sometimes you may want someone to listen, someone to talk to about your concerns and problems or sometimes just someone with whom to share an adult conversation! Volunteers also offer practical support, including helping with things such as routines, budgeting, meal planning and getting out to appointments and groups within the community.

Volunteers are not babysitters or home helps so any practical help is given as a friend would. For many families, this simple type of support makes a world of difference. While Home-Start does not have a magic formula to take all the problems away, parents say that having a friend to confide in, to cry with, to laugh with, to talk to, can make all the difference. 

How does it work?

If you ask for Home-Start’s help you can be sure of care, consideration and total confidentiality*. 

It’s very easy – after contacting us, you meet one of our local Co-ordinator who will discuss your needs with you, and where appropriate match you with a volunteer. The volunteer will visit you each week, and the support will be monitored by the Co-ordinators.

What next?

Either have a chat with your, Family Support Practioner, Health Visitor, Children’s Centre worker, Social worker, or other professional working with you, or if you would prefer to refer yourself please complete the self referral form under the website section ‘Make a referral’ or if you want to find out more contact us.

If you are a professional wishing to make a referral either give us a call on 01473 621104 and/or complete the professional referral form under the website section ‘Make a referral’ .

*Excluding exceptional circumstances when there are safety concerns for an individual which will result in our team following our safeguarding policy.

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Interested in volunteering?

We’d love to hear from you!

Call our team on 01473 621104 or click here to find out more.