Interested in becoming a Home-Start volunteer?

Many parents go through difficult times and need a little help sometimes or just someone to listen.

We recruit volunteers throughout the year, then hold 2 training courses usually in Spring & Autumn, dates dependant on demand.

Families in York are offered support by weekly volunteer visits for 2-3 hours a week. Our volunteers usually have parenting experience and understand family challenges which might include -

•    Loneliness and isolation

• Coping with multiples, twins, triplets or several pre-school children.

• Ill health, bereavement, disability or special needs

• Lone or First-time parents

• Postnatal illness or depression.

• Preparing children with the skills for their school or nursery experience

• Support antenatally to prepare for their new-born.

 Could you help a family make the most of their children’s early years, have fun together and build their confidence as parents?

Our carefully selected and trained volunteers, provide emotional and practical help to parents with at least one child under five. Visiting a family in their own home and offering tailored support, often being a lifeline for parents who are finding it hard to cope.

Will I be the right person to support a family?

Home-Start volunteers are all ages and from all walks of life. Many have experience of bringing up their own children, some want to offer their spare time for a few hours a week to help someone or gain work experience in the family support field.

All our volunteers are committed, supportive, caring, empathetic and non-judgmental.

What do home visits involve?

Volunteers spend time with a parent, helping to build their confidence as they adapt to family life with a new baby or share an outing with a parent who finds getting out of the house difficult. The visits might involve providing a listening ear to a mother who has post-natal depression, offering an extra pair of hands to a family with several children or supporting a mum finding herself with little or no family support.

Volunteer’s Preparation Course

All volunteers undertake an e-learning preparation course followed by 2 days in person group learning, to prepare them for the role of volunteer.  The course is informative, interesting and with minimal written work. On the course, we focus on life experiences & understand how to be a non judgmental, good listener.  Common sense and a great sense of humour are more important than paper qualifications! There’s lots of support, understanding, encouragement and laughter throughout training and we welcome volunteers of all ages (over 18) and backgrounds. We also offer further optional training in School Readiness & Perinatal Mental Health Support

 To find out more and attend an information day please contact info@homestartyork.org

Volunteer Expenses

If you’re a current volunteer, you can download your expenses form here.