Family Support Volunteer - Home‑Start
Being a parent has never been easy. Many families experience periods of feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or unsure, and at Home‑Start we believe every parent should have the support they need to give their children the best possible start in life.
Through our network of trained volunteers, we provide non‑judgemental, confidential, and compassionate support to families with young children when they need it most — because childhood can’t wait.
About the Role
As a Home‑Start Family Support Volunteer, you will offer friendship, guidance, and practical and emotional support to families with children aged 11 years and under.
Support is tailored to each family’s needs and is delivered through a combination of:
Home visits
Telephone support
Volunteers draw on their own experience of parenting or caring to help families build confidence, independence, and resilience.
Time Commitment
2–3 hours per week
Volunteers must be 18 years or over
Who Can Volunteer?
We welcome volunteers from the local community who:
Are parents or have parenting or caring experience
Have a friendly, caring, and non‑judgemental approach
Are able to commit regular time to support a family
Why Families Need Home‑Start
Families may need support for many reasons, including:
Feeling isolated or lonely
Lacking confidence in daily routines or boundaries
Facing financial pressures or housing challenges
Home‑Start is there to help families through these challenges with consistent, trusted support.
What We Offer Our Volunteers
Free, ongoing training on a wide range of topics, including:
Domestic abuse
Finances
Attachment and trauma
Healthy living
Early years development
Opportunity to shadow family support staff
Regular supervision sessions with Sam, Family Services Coordinator
A volunteer mobile phone to support contact with families
Reimbursement of all travel expenses
Regular volunteer meet‑ups for peer support and shared learning
Training Programme
Our next 5‑week training programme (planned to start in September) will cover:
Introduction to Home‑Start
The role of a volunteer
Supporting parents and meeting children’s needs
Listening and communication skills
Safeguarding (Level 1)
If you have a few hours to spare and want to make a meaningful difference to local families, we would love to hear from you.