Volunteer with Home-Start

If you are seeking an opportunity to make a real difference – then volunteering could be for you

We are looking for passionate, caring, and empathetic individuals to volunteer and support families in need across Suffolk.

Volunteer Enquiry Form

As a volunteer, you’ll have the chance to:

  • Provide practical and emotional support to parents and children
  • Make a lasting impact on the lives of families facing challenges
  • Offer a listening ear, share advice, and lend a helping hand
  • Help build stronger, more resilient communities across Suffolk

Whether you can offer a few hours a week or more, your time and energy will be truly valued. Plus, you’ll receive full training and support from our friendly team

  • No formal qualifications are needed – just a willingness to help
  • Flexible volunteer roles to fit around you
  • Make new friends and be part of a supportive network of volunteers
  • Gain valuable experience while making a difference in your community

The level of emotional support I have been able to provide for the family is what I always wished I could do when I was community nursing, but due to workload and time constraints could not.

If you’re ready to make a meaningful difference and help create brighter futures for families, take a look at the different volunteer opportunities available at Home-Start Suffolk

Home visiting volunteer

Home-Visiting volunteers are an essential part of the Home-Start in Suffolk service – providing emotional and practical support to a family, in the family’s own home, once a week. As a volunteer, you will be carefully matched with a family, then introduced by one of our experienced staff team. A unique support package will be devised based on the needs of the family and a day and time for each weekly visit will be agreed to suit both you and the family. You will build a trusting professional friendship with the family, offering emotional support, guidance and practical help during your visits, sharing your own experiences, with the ultimate goal to empower families with the confidence and skills to cope alone once support ends, creating a legacy of a long term difference.

Telephone Support Volunteer

Telephone support is a great way to give back even when your time is limited. Telephone and virtual support can suit full time work as well as company volunteering opportunities. It is flexible and can fit in around your other regular commitments allowing you the chance to get involved and give back to your community at a time that suits you and the family you are supporting. Weekly telephone or virtual support has become a key element of our support offer. Our telephone and virtual support volunteers are ensuring we are reaching families who feel more comfortable sharing their struggles through a call rather than face to face. You will make weekly contact via telephone or video call for up to 1-hour, providing emotional support and a listening ear, perhaps sharing your own experiences, to help them to navigate through this challenging time.

Group Support Volunteer

We host a range of groups across Suffolk from Stay & Play, infant massage and Special Education Needs to groups for Military families, cooking workshops and pre- and post-natal support. Group volunteers play a key role in the running of these sessions, providing additional support to the attending families and helping with group-based activities.

Community Volunteer

Home-Visiting volunteers are an essential part of the Home-Start in Suffolk service – providing emotional and practical support to a family, in the family’s own home, once a week. As a volunteer, you will be carefully matched with a family, then introduced by one of our experienced staff team. A unique support package will be devised based on the needs of the family and a day and time for each weekly visit will be agreed to suit both you and the family. You will build a trusting professional friendship with the family, offering emotional support, guidance and practical help during your visits, sharing your own experiences, with the ultimate goal to empower families with the confidence and skills to cope alone once support ends, creating a legacy of a long term difference.

Admin Support Volunteer

Telephone support is a great way to give back even when your time is limited. Telephone and virtual support can suit full time work as well as company volunteering opportunities. It is flexible and can fit in around your other regular commitments allowing you the chance to get involved and give back to your community at a time that suits you and the family you are supporting. Weekly telephone or virtual support has become a key element of our support offer. Our telephone and virtual support volunteers are ensuring we are reaching families who feel more comfortable sharing their struggles through a call rather than face to face. You will make weekly contact via telephone or video call for up to 1-hour, providing emotional support and a listening ear, perhaps sharing your own experiences, to help them to navigate through this challenging time.

Trustee

Our Board of Trustees are also all volunteers. Our Trustees a vital governance and oversight role, ensuring the charity is well-run, legally compliant, and stays true to its mission to support families across Suffolk. Trustees do not get involved in day-to-day operations, but they are legally responsible for the organisation and help steer its strategic direction.

Becoming a volunteer at Home-Start in Suffolk offers a range of meaningful benefits, including:

Making a Difference:
Volunteers provide critical support to families who may be struggling, helping to create a positive impact in their lives. This can lead to a greater sense of purpose and fulfilment, knowing that you’re contributing to a child’s well-being and a family’s stability.

Personal Growth:
Volunteering can build new skills, such as active listening, empathy, communication, and mentoring. It’s also an opportunity to gain experience that can be valuable in personal development or in a professional context.

Positive Well-being:
Volunteering is known to boost mental well-being by providing a sense of accomplishment, reducing isolation, and offering opportunities for meaningful social interaction.

Training and Support:
Home-Start provides comprehensive training to equip volunteers with the skills needed to offer support effectively. This includes understanding family dynamics, safeguarding, and practical support techniques, helping volunteers feel confident in their roles.

Building Connections:
As a volunteer, you become part of a supportive community, forming relationships with other volunteers,Home-Start staff, and the families you support. This can lead to a rich network of connections and friendships.

Improving Local Communities:
By supporting families in need, volunteers directly contribute to building stronger, healthier communities in Suffolk. This can foster a sense of pride and connection to the local area.

Please note all volunteers must be over 18

To become a Home-Start in Suffolk Volunteer, whether home-visiting or by offering telephone support, you should:
  • Have an understanding of the challenges of family life (You don’t need to be a parent)
  • Be able to visit a family for 2-4 hours once a week (Home-Visiting volunteers only)
  • Provide weekly telephone support as arranged with your Coordinator for around 45 minutes to an 1hour (Telephone Support only)
  • Have a non-judgemental attitude or be able to put your judgements to one side
  • Undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check (DBS) and provide 2 referees
  • Complete the induction training
  • Complete a diary sheet for each contact with the family
Home-Start in Suffolk will:

 

Match you with an appropriate family.

Pay all your authorised expenses.

Provide initial training and ongoing training opportunities

Provide support and supervision from a dedicated Family Support Coordinator

Give you the opportunity to meet other Home-Start in Suffolk volunteers

 

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Interested in volunteering?

We’d love to hear from you!

Call our team on 01473 621104 or click here to find out more.

HomeStart
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