Although part of a national organisation, Home-Start Sheffield is firmly rooted in the local community, with its own bank account and managed by a committee made up of local representatives from relevant agencies and individuals with specialist skills. Home-Start UK provides valuable guidance around policy, training, information and personal support, enabling Home-Start Sheffield to respond to local needs, but have the quality of service derived from agreed national quality standards.
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Home-Start Sheffield began in 1982 and is now one of over 325 schemes in the UK. Home-Start is also developing internationally, sharing expertise to benefit communities across the globe.
Home-Start Sheffield is locally driven, locally managed and supported by local volunteers, in this way, the service helps to reconnect and reintegrate families with their community. Children, parents and the wider community all benefit from Home-Start Sheffield’s work.
Home-Start Sheffield provides a service which isn’t seen to carry a stigma and is therefore sometimes more acceptable to families than Statutory Services.The fact that a volunteer chooses to visit a family helps a family to feel valued and has an immediate effect on their self-esteem.
Home-Start volunteers support families in a sensitive and flexible way.
They share their time, friendship and work alongside parents focussing on their strengths and offering families the opportunity to develop new relationships, ideas and skills. This usually leads to renewed interest in the children, an improved response to their needs and greater confidence to avail themselves of other resources within their community.
They share their time, friendship and work alongside parents focussing on their strengths and offering families the opportunity to develop new relationships, ideas and skills. This usually leads to renewed interest in the children, an improved response to their needs and greater confidence to avail themselves of other resources within their community.
Volunteers visit with a family once a week, for approximately 3 hours.
The approach of the volunteer varies according to the needs of the family they visit, but will include:
The approach of the volunteer varies according to the needs of the family they visit, but will include:
Offering support, friendship and practical assistance.
Reassuring parents that difficulties in bringing up children is not unusual.
Encouraging enjoyment of family life.
Taking the time to develop a relationship with the family and an understanding of their needs.
Encouraging the parents strengths and emotional well-being for the ultimate benefit of the children.
Encouraging families to widen their network of relationships and to use effectively the support and services available within the community.
The ethos of Home-Start Sheffield can be best described as :
‘one parent helping another parent through a difficult patch’
Simple but very effective
“I feel the service provided by a volunteer support worker is more for me, not just for my daughter, like health visitors.”
Theresa - family
“Volunteers are doing the job because they want to and not because it pays the bills. They seem to have more time for individual care. I do not know how I would have got through the last 2 years if it was not for my volunteer.”
Sharron - family
“When we visit a family we go as another parent, no other label. We are able to share experiences and worries. We don’t clock watch and can respond to the needs of the family that day. Families often feel that health visitors etc. are looking for the negatives, we look for the positives to build the self confidence of the parent.”
Mike - volunteer
“We are there to offer the help which our families think they need, not the help that we think they need.”
Gwen - volunteer
"Arizona is 8 years old and likes to have fun in the park with her volunteer and have a cuddle."
