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. 

Absolutely!

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.

It depends on the role. Mostly what we look for is friendliness and a caring attitude, as well as an understanding of the pressures of parenting. We value people who don’t judge others and who will treat a mother or father as an equal.

We also offer training and support throughout your time with us.

We are very proud of the training and support we provide for our volunteers. We invest in our volunteers from day one, ensuring they are supported by a paid member of staff throughout their time volunteering with us.

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