Anyone a Home Start volunteer

[PuppaDontPreach]

I've been thinking of volunteering with Home Start. I wondered if anyone does this and whether you could share your experience? Did you do it alongside working?

I don't have any qualifications in childcare so my only experience here is raising my own children.

i’ve also be wondering about others experiences of Homestart and whether it would be a good fit for me…hopefully someone in the know may see this thread.

Yes. I'm a volunteer with Home Start.

They ask that you have had children. I have adult children.

They train you quite comprehensively. You then get ongoing training which is very useful. They cover your advanced DBS check and expenses. You are supported in your role and can reach someone easily for help.

There are four levels of volunteer from 'rock a baby' right through to helping prevent children being removed from the home by giving support to a family who are struggling.

Wide and varied work. You get the option to take a break between cases.

I'm loving it. It's worthwhile and you can make a big difference in someone's life.

I had a homestart volunteer when my dc were tiny, and then I was one. It's for all families with dc under 5 - not just the stereotypical 'family in need' that I was worried about when my HV signed me up, I didn't want to be 'judged' but I had pnd first time round and it was a hugely supportive experience.

The volunteering can take many forms - from simply sitting with baby while you have a shower to accompanying on hospital visits, days out, shopping. My local group also ran a weekly session like a play and natter - volunteers made tea, played with the dc while the mum's had some time to connect with other adults.

My volunteer was in her 70s and an absolute godsend. Please do sign up.

I did this for a few years. This was ten years ago. Training was once a week for ten weeks. Very thorough. The visits were a few hours a week. One family I went back to after a second child was born. Some days I just played with the child while mother put her feet up. Some days it was an outing to some where they couldn't manage themselves. It was really rewarding. I had to stop due to family circumstances changing but it's something I would do again

I’ve only done the informal interview which I passed recently, so will be doing the 8 week long training course (once a week, 6 hours) in a few months. It seems pretty rigorous and I haven’t had any professional experience with children, jusy my own who are currently toddlers. I can report back once I’m out the other side but if you’re keen, I’d definitely list your interest as you have an opportunity to gage the attitude/ethos when you have the informal interview and can ask any questions ❤️

Due to start my training tomorrow twice a week for 3 weeks.
I was told we cannot take the family in my car but could meet them at for example a baby group.
Will update once I receive the training but really looking forward to it and hope to be of some help to someone in need.

My friend is a Home Start volunteer. They do important work. She used to help vulnerable families, helping with parenting skills, attending court, looking after the children whilst mum had a shower/sleep etc. She now is part of a weekly drop in group.

I had Home-Start support when my children were young. My volunteer was amazing - my children loved her, she was a huge support to me. She was non judgemental, compassionate and really helped me when I was very low. She listened and never gave me unwanted advice. When my youngest child started school I became a volunteer, as I felt I wanted to 'give back'.
The training is very thorough, and there are lots of opportunities for further training and meet ups with other volunteers.
The families I've supported have all been lovely! It's really rewarding to see the difference you can make. I always get very nervous when meeting a new family, but so far we have always ended up getting on well and I feel supported by Home-Start in my role.
I visit once a week for a couple of hours - typical visits are accompanying the family on outings or to playgroups or on appointments - just to lend a hand with the children or to help build the parents confidence so they can do it alone eventually. Sometimes, it's just having a cup of tea and a chat or playing with the children/holding the baby while the parent catches up on some jobs around the house.
I know Home-Start are struggling to recruit volunteers at the moment- so if you have the time and commitment I'm sure they would love to hear from you. Good luck!

Also I should have said that you don't need any qualifications, being a parent/step parent yourself is enough.

I work part-time and fit in volunteering around it. The visits are weekdays, within school hours and I only visit during term time when my own children are at school.

Following as I'm interested

I was a Homestart volunteer for 7 years. I worked with many families - single parents, mental health issues etc. I stopped 10+ years ago when I took on more paid work, but remained friends with a couple of mums (I have a Christmas tree decoration made by one little boy, that I treasure). I've been thinking about returning to volunteering for Homestart as I think it's a really valuable resource for struggling families.

Homestart is SUCH a valuable resource / charity.
The training is thorough - it is quite a commitment.
I wish there were more Homestart Volunteers,

What a fanastic organisation. How organised and amazing is the UK!

I was a Homestart volunteer for a number of years and did it around full-time work so needed to be matched with a family who was happy for an evening or weekend visit, each office seems to have a slightly different way of working. For my area it wasn’t necessary to be a parent, although most of the volunteers were parents. Our area offered the family visiting, a weekly play group, healthy cooking on a budget lessons and a part time paid worker who offered financial advice. As well as the initial 8 weeks training, there were other training opportunities, children’s first aid, benefit advice, working with families whose children had ASN etc. we had a paid member of staff who we had regular catch ups with, you could also phone the office at any time you needed support for “your” family such as a referral to a food or clothes bank or other local charities. Home Start can be such a great gateway for the families to gain access to means of support. When we were doing the 8 week training the staff delivering it would be seeing what your strengths were and would have a family in mind that would be a good fit for you, you get the final say as to the family you are matched with as it has to work both ways. There is always a waiting list so there is always a “pot for every lid” it felt a bit like an online dating agency. My first family I was with for 3 years til the youngest of the 4 children was 5 we have maintained a friendship since. After that I had a number of shorter placements, sometimes the families are recommended to Home Start but actually they don’t engage, the staff do help you realise that you aren’t doing anything wrong as a volunteer just that the family are not in the right head space at the moment. I’m older so my relationship with with the families was a bit like a grandma, I stopped when my own grandchildren came along and I needed to help with them.

There's a book written by the lady that started Homestart