“I came to a point in my life: my children had grown up. I wanted to do something different." - Angela makes weekly home-visits to support a family, and here she explains why she got involved in volunteering for Home-Start

Why I volunteered for Home-Start

“It’s good fun; the kids love it, the mums enjoy it and I think everybody goes out feeling better than hopefully they did when they came in.” - Isabel tells us about volunteering at a Home-Start family support group.

Volunteering a Home-Start family group in Glasgow

Three people tell their stories of the importance of volunteering for Home-Start - whether as as home-visiting volunteer, someone who helps at a group, or as a supported parent.

The importance of volunteering - three stories

Being a dad for the first time is  daunting and its even more of a challenge  if you have problems with your mental or physical health.

John - "There's dads out there who can give you help. Don't be afraid to accept it"

When Jade and Kim were new mums, they received vital support from Home-Start Wirral to help them breastfeed. In this conversation they talk about the help they got, the difference it made and why they became volunteers.

Family stories: Jade and Kim discuss breastfeeding, family and volunteering

Home-Start are partnering with the LENA Research Foundation to launch a programme around language and early childhood development. In this conversation, Dr Steve Hannon explains why hearing language is so important to children, and how the LENA Research Foundation project helps.

"Families are the secret sauce" - talking language development with Dr Steve Hannon

Naiomi is in her 20s, Juliette is in her 80s and in this episode of our podcast they share their experiences of volunteering and supporting families in one of the most diverse communities in the UK.

Volunteer stories: Naiomi And Juliette from Camden talk about supporting families

Magadi was experiencing postnatal depression. After a visit to the GP, she was put in touch with Home-Start Camden who introduced her to Beverly. Together Beverly and Saiqa from Home-Start Camden helped Magadi to gain more confidence and to get better.

Family stories: Magadi and Beverly talk about their relationship and life-changing support

Lois, Sam and Andrea are new volunteers for Home-Start Glasgow North, and they are being set questions by Amanda to find out more about how their training has prepared them to meet their first family.

Volunteer stories: Lois, Sam and Andrea talk about their volunteer training course

Naneh and her husband lived an ordinary life until, without warning, their world was turned upside down.  Thankfully, Naneh came across Home-Start and was matched with a volunteer called Sue. Together with Sue’s help, Naneh and her husband were able to move forward and were finally able to start rebuilding their lives.

Family Stories: Helping one family cope when their life was turned upside down.

Families in Wakefield have been working with volunteer, Jackie, for more than 13 years. We spoke to Jackie about why she volunteers for Home-Start, as well as hearing from staff members and trustees about what the new challenges faced by families and the local Home-Starts they work with.

Volunteer stories: “It’s just like an extended family, you know?"

Rachel is a mum whose little boy attends Home-Start Wirral’s Little Movers group for children with additional needs. And Debbie is one of the volunteers at the group. Little Movers is just one of the amazing groups run by Home-Start Wirral to meet the needs of their community and Rachel and Debbie talk about the impact it has on them.

Family Stories: Home-Start Wirral and Little Movers

In our latest podcast we spoke to volunteers and staff at Home-Star Glasgow North, and in Home-Start MAJIK – which support families in the west of Scotland, one of the most remote communities in the UK. We heard stories about one of the issues families face wherever they live: loneliness and isolation.

Volunteer stories: Overcoming loneliness and isolation

Hetal and Will have both been blind since childhood. But they found that it was when they had children that the new challenges of parenthood meant they needed a little extra help. In our latest podcast, Hetal and Will explain how Carol, a volunteer from Home-Start Greenwich has transformed life for them and their children.

Family stories -  “We had to learn to be parents, we didn’t have to learn to be blind”

Domestic abuse will affect one in four women, and one in six men in their lifetime. In our latest podcast, Anna shares her story and explains how Home-Start Greenwich supported her.

Family stories: helping Anna overcome domestic abuse

Stories and news about families from Home-Start UK, a leading family support charity.

Home-Start -Because Childhood Can't Wait

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