Healthy Abingdon Associate

Overview

We are a local charity supporting local families going through challenging times. Home-Start volunteers support families across the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire with individual one-to-one visiting and a wide range of targeted support for parents and their children. All our services are free and based around the principal that there is no judgement, just compassionate, confidential help and support. Volunteers aim to increase families' confidence and independence by encouraging them to widen their network of relationships and use community support and services.

Visits

Families receive weekly visits from a trained volunteer who is then matched with a suitable family. Typically a visit will last for a couple of hours and the volunteer will work with their family to build on their strengths and give them the support they say they need.

We help

The families we support are those who feel unable to cope with the stresses and difficulties they experience. They may be struggling to cope with postnatal illness, a child or parent's disability, family breakdown or bereavement, or they may feel isolated or unable to connect with their local community. To access Home-Start support a family must have at least one child aged five or under and there must be a volunteer available to support them.

Safeguarding

We have procedures to check that all staff, trustees and home-visiting volunteers are suitable to work with children. This includes enhanced DBS checks, references and interviews. Staff, trustees and volunteers undertake safeguarding training. All volunteers receive regular supervision meetings with a family co-ordinator.

New volunteers welcome

We are always looking for new home-visiting volunteers to help us support local families. Our volunteers have experience of parenting, childcare or working with children. They attend a preparation course for one morning a week over 5 consecutive weeks which includes sessions on child development, community resources, confidentiality, relationships and safeguarding children. We ask volunteers to commit to at least one year of their time with us. We cover travel expenses when volunteers are visiting their family.