About Home-Start Herefordshire
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Who we are
Home-Start Herefordshire offers befriending support along with practical and emotional advice in the homes of families who are having difficulties managing parenting for a variety of different reasons.
Home-Start Herefordshire is an independent charity which, through volunteer home-visiting and groups, has been supporting local families since 1982. We provide non-judgmental, free support to families in Herefordshire area who have at least one child up to the age of 18.
As part of the nationwide Home-Start UK network, we adhere to a national framework of standards which ensures high quality services. From Home-Start UK we are provided with extensive advice and support, along with national representation.
Home-Start Herefordshire is a registered charity (no. 1113432) and company limited by guarantee. It is governed by a Board of Trustees.
To find out more about who we are and what we get up to, please like our Facebook page. For information on our impact please see our latest Annual Report.
Helping families in Herefordshire since 1982
In 2023/24 alone:
Families helped
Children supported
Volunteers
What we do
We recruit and train volunteers across Herefordshire who help families with children aged 0 -18 through challenging times. The only requirements to become a Home-Start Herefordshire volunteer are a friendly and caring attitude and an understanding of the pressure of parenting. We provide expert support and signposting, along with friendship and practical advice.
Why do we do it?
We believe that the earliest years make the biggest impact on a child’s life. Home-Start Herefordshire is committed to ensuring those years count so that no child’s future is limited.
How do we do it?
We carefully match volunteers to families needing support, ensuring that the support is tailored to the family’s specific needs. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, each with a few hours available weekly to provide emotional and practical help to local families. This support is flexible and responsive, ensuring that families get the help they need when they need it.
“Home-Start raises self-confidence, improves social networks, reduces difficult behaviour on the part of the child and improves mental and physical health” – Every Child Matters Government Green Paper.
Projects
In addition to our core services, we run focussed projects that build on our experience supporting perinatal mental health, domestic abuse and early education. These projects are built into our support and enable us to help some families in more specific areas.
Baby Steps
The Baby Steps Project is a tailored and developing offer from Home-Start Herefordshire (HSH) for care experienced parents and parents-to-be, aged...
Big Hopes Big Future
"Big Hopes Big Future (BHBF) programme has been designed to help parents/carers and their children get ready for the important first steps of going...
Current vacancies
If you are interested in any of these opportunities please contact 01432 371212 or admin@HSHerefordshire.onmicrosoft.com
Family support volunteers
Person specification and role description for a Home-Start Herefordshire volunteer
A Home-Start Herefordshire volunteer should:
- Have an understanding of the pressures of parenting.
- Be prepared to undertake the Home-Start Herefordshire preparation training course.
- Understand why families may need support from Home-Start Herefordshire.
- Have a knowledge of child development or willingness to undertake training.
- Have a positive, non-judgmental attitude to working with people of any gender, family status, sexual identity, or who are from any ethnic origin, culture or religion, or who may have a disability.
- Demonstrate a sensitive and caring attitude towards others.
- Have a clear understanding of the confidential nature of the Home-Start Herefordshire service, and refrain from breaking confidences shared by the family, other than with the coordinator or when disclosure is essential to protect the wellbeing or safety of a child or vulnerable adult.
- Have time and enthusiasm for Home-Start Herefordshire, be reliable and understand the importance of reliability to the family.
- Have good communication skills, including an ability to listen.
- Have a warm and open personality and a sense of humour.
- Be prepared to keep records as required by the Scheme.
- Be prepared to attend supervision (usually every 6-8 weeks), more regularly in complex cases and maybe over a telephone call.
The role
Home-Start Herefordshire is a voluntary organisation where volunteers offer regular support, friendship and practical help to families under stress in their homes, helping prevent family crises or breakdowns. Volunteers understand that sometimes family life can be challenging, so their support can be valuable in helping a family in need. Volunteers are central to the Home-Start Herefordshire service; we could not offer families the same support without them.
Home-Start Herefordshire volunteers give a high level of commitment and reliability. In return, receive high-quality preparation and ongoing training, supervision and support from the Home-Start Herefordshire’s Coordinators.
What do Home-Start Herefordshire volunteers do?
Home-Start Herefordshire volunteers aim to build the confidence and independence of the family by:
- Offering support, friendship and practical help.
- Committing to a minimum of 2-3 hours per week home-visiting according to the family’s needs.
- Visiting the families in their own homes, where the dignity and identity of everyone can be respected and protected.
- Reassuring families that difficulties in bringing up children are common.
- Reassuring families that difficulties in family relationships are not unusual.
- Emphasising the positive aspects of family life.
- Developing a relationship with the family and understanding and providing a regular, reliable presence in that family.
- Drawing on their own experience of family life and parenting to encourage parents’ strengths and emotional wellbeing.
- Encouraging families to widen their network of relationships and effectively use the support and services available in the community.
What is the time commitment?
In addition to weekly home visiting:
- Attendance at the initial course of preparation, including face-to-face training sessions, plus online training.
- Attendance at supervision sessions with the coordinator according to Home-Start Herefordshire guidance, usually every 6-8 weeks (more often in complex cases)
- To attend at least four events a year including the Annual Safeguarding Refresher Training. The rest can be other training events, support group meetings, AGM or social events.
What are the responsibilities of a Home-Start Herefordshire volunteer?
Home-Start Herefordshire asks all volunteers to commit to the Home-Start Herefordshire ethos and to understand and implement relevant Home-Start Herefordshire policies, which will be explained in the volunteer preparation course, also:
- To undertake all sessions of the preparation course, provide two suitable references and complete a DBS check at an enhanced level.
- To sign their acceptance and understanding of the Home-Start Herefordshire Safeguarding Code of Conduct.
- To be introduced to and visit a family regularly (usually 2-3 hours a week) and to work towards identified aims of support as agreed with the family.
- To share information with the coordinator and contact the Scheme immediately if there is concern about the physical or emotional wellbeing of any family member.
- Ensure that the child’s needs and experience are at the centre of their thinking and that they act on concerns about their safety or welfare.
- To keep essential records of visits to families and submit them weekly via the volunteer diary sheet.
- To attend regular 1:1 supervision sessions according to Home-Start Herefordshire guidance.
- To submit travel and telephone expenses monthly, which will be paid at the agreed rate by the Scheme Manager.
- If applicable, inform their insurance company that their car is being used for voluntary work with Home-Start Herefordshire, for which expenses are paid, and provide Home-Start Herefordshire with their relevant tax, MOT, and insurance coverage for the car as requested.
What will Home-Start Herefordshire do for volunteers?
In return for your hard work and commitment, you will receive:
- Excellent preparation for your role.
- Regular formal and informal support from the coordinators, other volunteers and the trustee board.
- Opportunities for self-development and ongoing training.
- The opportunity to get more involved in the Scheme if you would like (e.g. social events, fundraising, promotional events, becoming a trustee)
- The opportunity to be involved in a vital local service and part of a national and global network.
This exciting and rewarding voluntary work requires energy, commitment, reliability, creativity, and a sense of humour.
Download Volunteer Application Form (New Version Pending)
Visit our Volunteer Page for more information and get in touch.
Become a Home-Start Trustee
Home-Start Herefordshire is an independent local charity and being a trustee is all about the governance of the charity. Could you help plan and oversee how we will support families in your community?
You’ll have a wide range of duties and be responsible for making the charity effective, providing overall direction and maintaining sound management of funds. If you have any of these skills:
- general business management
- financial or legal expertise
- IT knowledge
- human resources experience
- PR and media skills
- knowledge of family support issues in the community
then we’d love to hear from you.
To find out more contact us
To apply to be a trustee, download application form (New Version Pending)
Our Team
Our leadership team are responsible for the delivery of our services and strategy.
Together, they ensure we’re here for families when they need us most, that our volunteers are trained and supported and that our service remains effective, reaching as many in our communities as possible.
Mandie Preece, Scheme Manager
Karen Marriott, Scheme Administrator
Sally Jones, Family and Volunteer Coordinator
James Teppin, Family and Volunteer Coordinator
I joined HSH in September 2022, I am a former volunteer and previously worked in retail. I am married, have an adult daughter, and differently behaved cat.
I’m a part-time student and I like cricket, football, camping, and general boring dad stuff.
Tina Rowlands, Marketing and Volunteer Recruitment
Bio
Kay Gray, Database Administrator
Alex James, Volunteer President
Anne Oldroyd, Volunteer Vice President
Jan Doran, Volunteer Representative
Our Trustees
Home-Start Herefordshire is constituted as a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. It is therefore governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association (its governing documents).
Like each Home-Start scheme, it is independently run but operates in accordance with the Home-Start UK National Agreement and their policies and procedures, operating under their guidance. It is governed by a Board of Trustees who meet bi monthly and has overall responsibility for the scheme and ensuring it acts at all times within its governing documents and the Home-Start Agreement.
The Trustees are advised by representatives from the statutory sector and volunteers who attend Trustee meetings once every six months.
The Trustees employ the staff team including the Scheme Manager who oversees the day-to day running of the organisation.
The Trustees are responsible for:-
- The effective governance of the scheme including funding, finance, insurance and premises.
- Implementing good practice and procedures in employing and supervising staff.
- Ensuring all policies are adhered to.
- Providing strategic vision, leadership and direction.
- Monitoring and evaluating the scheme’s work on a day to day basis.
Trustees are recruited on the basis of a skills audit. Vacancies are advertised via various media forms including the internet. New Trustees are interviewed by the Chair of Trustees and the Scheme Manager. A suitable candidate is recommended to the Board of Trustees and if accepted is subject to a DBS check. New Trustees receive a welcome/induction pack and attend an induction session. Specific training for trustees is also organised by Home-Start UK on a regional and national basis.
Jan Frances, Acting Chair
Jeremy Stobart, Treasurer
I have been a Trustee with HSH since 2016 and became treasurer in 2017. I bring general commercial experience to the charity having worked for an Oil Company for 10 years and subsequently running my own retail and property business. I have also been a Secondary School Chair of Governors and Chair of the PTA.
In my spare time, I like to work slavishly (sit on tractors listening to the radio!)on my smallholding, walking and where time permits, I go to watch Bath win (hopefully) at rugby.
Catherine Lloyd, Acting Vice Chair and Safeguarding Lead
Philippa Wride
Kerry Postlewhite
Virginia Taylor
Stephen Goodridge
Become a Home-Start Volunteer Today
Home-Start’s team of trained volunteers make sure a child’s early years count. By volunteering just a few hours each week you can transform the lives of young children and their parents in your community.