home-start volunteers

[atomicdust]

hello,

does anybody have direct experience with either volunteering with Home-Start or havinng receivd help from home-start?

I've just finished the prep course and I do not know exactly what to expect...

We have HomeStart...what do you want to know?

Marking my place. I have almost finished the prep course at Homestart. It's interesting for me to hear from the families how they feel about the volunteers.

I enjoyed the prep course, I am hoping the volunteering will be just as enjoyable.

Actually, I've got to say I'd find it interesting from the other side.
I always worry that I'm imposing on the volunteer and would like to know what sort of support volunteers expect they would be giving?

I have heard from other volunteers that once they start with a family, they will hardly get any support fro the paid employees (just expenses paid), and in our scheme the volunteers are also epected to make a monthly contribution to the running cots of the scheme. Why do we have to pay to cover the staff wages when we do all the work?

to whatThedDeuce

all I heard fom more experienced volunteers is that they were ALL really happy to have met "new friends", and they enjoyed the feeling of helping others....tips / advices / listening hear.

I had Homestart and it was invaluable - I was refered because I had antental depression with DD2. The volunteer came to my house and played with DD1 while I had a bit of me time (usually nipped upstairs for a bath) or if I had had a bad week and hadn't left the house she would drag me out to swimming/park/toddler group and convince me that whole word wasn't out to attach me or DD1 (joys of depression). I think what you do depends on the family you end up volunteering for and their needs tbh. But Homestart honestly helped me through AND and I think the reason why I didn't develop PND was because of that support.

yes, but it's your volunteer who helped you!

home-start just put you in touch with your volunteer.

Oh my volunteer was AMAZING. She and I ignored the kids whilst we drank coffee and chatted.

It might sound a bit odd but I SO needed someone to listen to me harp on about ds forthcoming tribunal and whinge about all the professionals. I'd lost touch with so many of my friends and the ones I had kept were on the verge of leaving me if I ever mentioned the word tribunal ever again.

She listened and gave me confidence and praised my efforts and told me I was an amazing mum. Ocassionally she would offer to do something practical but actually just by being an extra adult in the house was incredible respite.

It's really reassuring to hear so much goo experiences about volunteer / families!

StartingAfresh it looks like your volunteer reassured you when you most needed it!
and sometimes, it's just easier to talk about embarrassing subjects to new friend, especially if she will not gossip and judge you! Even better if the new friend is not part of your "old circle" where people may just talk about you behind your back!

yes, sometimes, we need adult company!

Been a Homestart volunteer for over a year now.

The thing I liked about it was there was always new people to meet, be it volunteers or families.

A lot of my time was spent helping parents with varying conditions (PND, MS among many) to work out a plan of action. This was to encourage them to enjoy and get as much out of life as they can, for them and their family.

I have to admit, it's very rewarding when you see a smile from a depressed parent because it feels like a breakthrough and they're capable of moving on a bit further.

I am both a volunteer home visitor and a co ordinator for another area.

I have volunteered with a fair number of families. I am currently supporting two families but you will start off with judt the one.

One family is a lady who has english as a second language and just moved to a new area, leaving behind all her friends. She was having a difficult pregnancy and with two other children and a racist neighbour she was highly stressed and just needed support to access local support networks for the long term.

I am going next week for the sign off visit.

The other family i started supporting because she was a young mother with a severly autistic boy of 3.she had just had another baby who had a life threatening heart condition and was in and out of intensoive care.she lived in a small house with her husbands family.
Having supported her for over a year we have found out that baby has a very rare genetic condition that will cause life long need for care. he is missing a kidney and will need further ops on his heart.
Amongst this her in law family were emotionally abusive to her and then her husband hit her. he has decided to "throw her away" as he wants to re marry with someone who can produce "normal" children.
we have had to remove her from teh home and are currently helping her organise her benefits, housing, schooling...re building her life essentially.

So one case is very much a cup of tea and a chat, the other is far more in depth and involved.

You will i am sure be given the former to begin with.

atomic dust - I have never heard of a monthly contribution for running costs of the scheme. Is this right? We get our expenses paid, but I have never been asked for any contribution from my own pocket that has not been paid back.

atomicdust Tue 25-Jan-11 14:49:02

I have heard from other volunteers that once they start with a family, they will hardly get any support fro the paid employees (just expenses paid), and in our scheme the volunteers are also epected to make a monthly contribution to the running cots of the scheme. Why do we have to pay to cover the staff wages when we do all the work?

I would be very interested to know which scheme you work for because that is most certainly NOT what should happen.

You should be recieving regular supervision, your co ordinator should always be there to refer to if you have any questions or need support.
A monthly contribution should not be expected. All donations are gratefully recieved, we are after all a charity.

But please be assured that any donations you make will not be to pay for their salaries. and we do do rather a lot of work that you may not be aware of.

Actualy i think that if you already feel that way given you have yet to be matched i would question if Home-start is the scheme for you.

and so pretty they were too TSC

I had a lovely Homestart volunteer about 4 years ago when my son was pre school age but I was trying to come to terms with his severe low functioning autism. My other son adored her and in fact we were talking about her the other day. Wierdly, although she had retired, when she was at work she was a music teacher just like me. She was great and would play footie or rugby with my other son or look after my youngest if I had a dentist appointment (in the room next to the appointment). I really, really appreciated the time we had with her.

I have been a Homestart volunteer for about 8 yrs, and in that time have supported approx 12 families (often 2 families at once as I have the time).
As a mum to twins I tend to get matched with parents of multiples who are struggling for various reasons,examples have included health problems (children or parents),PND, relationship breakdowns, sleep deprivation.
atomicdust, I can assure you that Homestart do not just "put you in touch with your volunteer". My area coordinator makes an initial visit to a new family and then matches them with a suitable volunteer, she always accompanies me for the inital visit.I can contact her at any time if I have a concern (I have her home and mobile numbers),she regularly (every 3 mnths)has review sessions with my families, and I receive feedback on how my visits have helped .There are regular training sessions/updates/coffee for volunteers as well as a Christmas party for volunteers and supported families.
I have met some fantastic people and am still in touch with many of the families I've visited - they are now my friends

penelopestitsdropped

regarding your secon family:

Did you / home-Start detected the rare genetic condition? Do you have the medical facilities & knowledge at your schem for detecting "rare genetic condition"?

Severe cases of Domestic Abuse need to be reported IMMEDIATELY to the Police / Social Care.

Again how couldHome-Start remove her from her house? Do you have the legal authority to do so? Are you ahousing association? Or did you just signposted her to the relevant authorities?

I think you're grossly exagerating the role of home-start!

soda123

i really rally hope to have similar experiences to yours. That's why I joined the scheme!

But our scheme had a drop in statutory funding from the local council / based on a reduced number of families they were supporting. So they re asking us (not forcing) for contribution towards the running costs / staff wages.

Actually, now that things are a lot better I have thought abut writing to our local homestart to let them know how valuable I found their help, because I got the feeling that the actual volunteer didn't feel all that helpful, and I did cancel her after only a couple of months because I felt like I had go through the worst and felt a bit guilty too that we were just sitting and chatting.

Is this something I should do?

Not sure that I've got the jist of this but...My volunteer does hekp me on a personal level:
adult company,
helps with children,
lets me keep hospital apponitments,
gets me out of house to park or swimming.

HomeStart on the otherhand also helped me by doing initial visit and matching and introducing me to 'my' volunteer. They have also provided ad hoc cover when my voluteer was away and when I need emergency cover at short notice.

I have found the voluteer and the organisation to be helpful but I have struggled to use the time effectively as I do feel guilty putting my problems onto another person that I don't burden my family with. I also worry that I'm not 'struggling' enough to warrent the service and might be depriving a family more at need than myself.

Therefore, my tip when starting as a volunteer is...if you can be aware of the feelings of guilt etc that families you're supporting may be feeling and reassure them accordingly, you'll be on a winner

Also, HomeStart perform follow up visits with me and with volunteer to check there are no ishoos.

Homestart are also the intermediary in contact terms. I have no tel no/ address for volunteer and call HomeStart to cancel/ rearrange meetings.

In essence I find the volunteers support invaluable and the volunteer benefits from HomeStarts support. So one couldn't work witout te other.

Stupid keyboard

hhhhhhhhhhhh

Better