Volunteering Opportunities

Supporting Families

Volunteer today…you won’t look back!

Could you help make a difference to families with a child or children aged 0 – 19?

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done” says Dawn (mum of two).

As a parent you will have exactly the skills needed to make a real difference to a family living in Herefordshire.

YOU could be just the person we are looking for if you….

  • F_MG_1994_family_and_volunteer_skatingAre you a parent or have you parenting skills i.e.:- a teacher, a step-parent or involved in child care or youth work.
  • Have at least 2/3 hours a week to give?
  • Would like to help a family in need of support?
  • Understand that every family is different and have different needs?
  • Do you want to feel great about helping others?

Everyone is welcome

  • Our male and female volunteers come from many different backgrounds and vary in age, but all are either parents or have parenting experience. They are then carefully and appropriately approved and all attend a course of preparation before being matched with families in need of their support once a week.

Interested?

What our volunteers do… 

Our volunteers visit one or more families a week and take their own individual skills and experience to the families they support. A volunteer offers support to parents enabling them to grow in confidence, strengthen their relationships with their children and widen their links with the local community, helping to create happy and stable families.

  • They provide a listening ear so that parents can talk about their problems and difficulties and explore ways to resolve them.
    • The volunteers try to put new strategies in place to help the family overcome their current problems.
    • Help to enable the family to keep appointments
    • Encouraging and supporting all members of the family to work together
  • They act as role models for parents, enabling them to develop their parenting own skills
  • Some volunteers offer to be mentors for young people enabling teenagers to grow in confidence an self worth.

All of the families we help have asked for support and welcome their volunteer into their home.

Volunteer Application Form

What happens next?

F_MG_0472_two_families_and_volunteer (1)All potential volunteers are asked to fill in an application form and return it to the office. We then invite them in for an interview with our Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator which provides an opportunity for them to learn more about Home-Start Herefordshire before they begin, chat about what is involved and for them to ask any questions. Once this has taken place and  if the individual  still would like to volunteer they then attend one of our preparation courses, normally a day a week for 10 weeks, during which time a DBS check at enhanced level will be done on each individual and references are obtained.  When the course has finished the volunteers are carefully matched to one of ‘our’ families, as soon as possible and start visiting.

Our Volunteers tell us…

The volunteering role is challenging and rewarding and I value highly the time I spend with the scheme.”

“I think Home-Start staff are kind and thoughtful.”

“Home-Start offers an excellent support system to their volunteers.”

“The team are very organised, supportive and helpful. They really care about their volunteers and the families they support.”

“I feel that all the people I have met through Home-Start have been caring, genuine and honest.”