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You can make the difference when you become a volunteer with Home Start Worthing & Adur |
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Home-Start is a national voluntary organisation offering informal, friendly support to parents with at least one child under the age of five.
The families come from a wide variety of backgrounds and are looking for support for many different reasons including: postnatal illness, isolation, relationship problems, poverty, disability, single parenthood and coping with multiple births or several young children.
Case study 1 A story of a Home-Start Family
I was referred to Home-Start via a Counsellor, who thought they would be able to help me. I was visited by one of the organisers, who really put me at ease, and together we worked out what my needs were, and how they would be able to help. My biggest ‘need’ was that I felt very isolated due to moving to a new area. I did not know many people locally and needed a ‘friend’.
Home-Start offered me a volunteer to visit me once a week for a couple of hours. My volunteer does not judge me or lecture me and I would say that she has been an absolute ‘lifeline’ for me. I can use her as my sounding board for all my thoughts, feelings and ideas. She has given me the chance to think about myself, believe and trust in myself, and has made me so much stronger. This has, in turn, improved my relationship with my son.
Case study 2 Experiences of a Home-Start Volunteer
My association with Home-Start Worthing & Adur began when I answered an advertisement in the local paper requesting volunteers. At that point I had no idea how that call would impact on my life or how much fulfilment I would get from belonging to an organisation that provides much needed support to parents with young families and also the volunteers that work for them.
I have been working with my family for 4 months and I visit for about 2 hours per week. Over that time, I have built a good relationship with the family and feel that I have been able to provide a listening ear that is so vital to all of us who find ourselves in isolating circumstances. I can say that I am very fond of my family and have a deep respect for their desire to work their problems through.
I have come to learn that volunteering is not a selfless act and giving a few hours of my time brings personal rewards that money could not buy!
If anybody is interested in becoming a Home-Start volunteer and would like more information about our Preparation Course, please telephone 01903 236916 or email on