Ways to volunteer - home visiting Help parents and their children by visiting them for a couple of hours a week in their own homes. Expand Across the UK, nearly 15,000 volunteers visit families at home each week offering support, friendship, emotional and practical help. A home-visiting volunteer provides support for a family in the family’s own home, usually spending a couple of hours once a week with the parents and their children. You work with each family to help them in the way they need most. This may be with practical tasks such as escaping from the house, getting to appointments or helping get organised; offering advice and sharing experiences; or supporting parents through emotional issues. "The best thing about Mandy [my volunteer] is that she gave me the kind of help and support I know my family would give me if they were close." A mum from Home-Start Edinburgh South Central, Scotland. All of our home-visiting volunteers must: have parenting experience commit to our training programme undergo an enhanced criminal records check
Ways to volunteer - local trustee Each local Home-Start is an independent charity and being a trustee is all about the governance of the charity. Could you help plan and oversee how each Home-Start will support families in your community? Expand Trustees serve on the governing body (board) of a charity and are responsible for directing the management and administration of it. You would have a wide range of duties and be responsible for making the charity effective, providing overall direction and maintaining sound management of funds. We have around 1,500 trustees who volunteer their time and skills. Could you provide: general business management? financial and legal expertise? IT knowledge? human resources experience? PR & media skills? knowledge of family support issues in the community? Then we'd love to hear from you. You would carry out out a wide range of duties and be responsible for making the charity effective, providing overall direction and the sound management of funds. You would commit to a minimum of 8 - 10 hours a month. Neil and Graham tell us they enjoy about their trustee role: “I felt my experience and skills were going to waste until I was asked to join Home-Start. Now I feel that both Home-Start and I benefit by me being a trustee." Graham, trustee Home-Start Mid Suffolk It's a very fulfilling role. It's an extremely necessary role. And I think an awful lot of people would like to help. So .... come along and help! Neil Spurrier, trustee, Home-Start Richmond
Ways to volunteer - other helping hands From play groups to fundraising balls and social events, there are many opportunities for willing hands. Expand Many local Home-Starts run additional services to support their work, such as: playgroups, toy libraries, specialist groups for single dads, breastfeeding mums, or families affected by postnatal depression, healthy eating sessions, social activities like trips to parks, farms or the seaside, cinema nights, and more, helping with fundraising - from quiz nights, crochet sessions and raffles to toddle-a-thons or glitzy fundraising balls, drivers for families who are stuck without transport, and so much more It may also be that you can volunteer in a way that your local Home-Start hasn't thought about yet! So if you want to get involved, get in touch and let us know what you have in mind.