Will I be the right sort of person to support a family?

Home-Start volunteers are usually parents themselves, or have parenting experience. Our volunteers are of all ages and from all walks of life. All we ask is that you are able to attend our Volunteer Preparation Course and can commit to visiting a family for 2-3 hours a week.

What would visiting a family involve?

This varies.  You could spend time with a young parent, helping to build their confidence as they adapt to life with a young baby, or sharing an outing with a family who finds getting out of the house difficult.  The visits might include offering an extra pair of hands to a family with several children or providing a listening ear to a mum who is feeling low.

What will I gain from being a volunteer?

• You will be helping a family to cope with the pressures they are facing and make a real difference to the lives of parents and their children.
• You will receive training and support to prepare you for all aspects of your role with Home-Start and ongoing one to one supervision and group meetings with other Home-Start volunteers.
• You will make new friends and have lots of fun.
• You will develop new skills and have some wonderful experience to add to your CV.
• Out of pocket expenses will be paid.

Do I need a DBS check?

Yes, all of our volunteers are subject to advanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance, which is paid for by Home-Start South West Kent.

I’m not a parent.  Can I still be involved?

Yes you can.  We always need volunteers, parents or non-parents, who could support our scheme by helping with fundraising activities or by joining the Management Committee and getting involved in the running of the scheme.  For these roles you need not be a parent.

What’s the next step?

If you feel that volunteering with us would be right for you, please give Sarah a call on 07395 775826  to talk through any questions you might have, or email us on [email protected]. We can talk through the volunteering role with you, let you know when our next course is running and and if you would like to apply then we will send you an application form. We also usually arrange to meet you before the course begins. It is important to us that this role is right for you.