Homestart is an organisation, which gives help and advice to people who need it.  Families who have children under five and have problems e.g. people who find it hard to cope on their own, have drug or alcohol problems. 

Sometimes people just need somebody to talk to. 

Many people have nobody and look forward to their Home Start Volunteers to come round.

THE VOLUNTEERS 

Volunteers are introduced to a family whom they then continue to visit on a regular basis supporting the parents, playing with the children, sometimes being the only adult company a parent has during the day.

All Volunteers must have parenting experience and undergo a short preparation course before going out to visit families.  The preparation course covers such areas as listening skills, child protection, confidentiality and equal opportunities, childhood illnesses. 

The course lasts for 10 weeks every Friday all day.  On the course there are about 12 Volunteers and you also get to meet new friends.  When you are given a family you have to have total confidentiality, which means you do not discuss anything with anyone, not even another volunteer.  If you are worried about a situation, which involves the family you are with, you can go back and discuss it with one of the organisers and they will advise you what to do.  You also get travelling expenses for your visits. 

Volunteers can be people who are single parents or people who just want to help.  The organisation offers regular meetings and ongoing training. 

Volunteers are not babysitters, they just give practical help as a friend would.  For some families the simple support makes a world of a difference, someone to laugh, cry, confide in.

How to enrol to be a Home Start Volunteer.

To find out where your local Home Start is in your area contact Maxine Nightingale 01772 204141

Homestartnorthwest@chapel167.fsnet.co.uk.