Home-Start Chichester & District
Volunteering with Home-Start
It can be rewarding, exciting and fulfilling; whatever role you choose, you will be making a difference to lives of local children and families. Current roles include:
- Home visiting volunteer or at one of our family groups
- Fundraising volunteer – help at an event or give a talk to a local community group
- By joining our Board of Home Start Trustees
Home-Start Chichester & District volunteers come from many different backgrounds and vary in age but all are either parents themselves, have parenting experience, have cared for others or worked with children. All volunteers attend a training course before starting their role and take their own individual skills and experience to the families they support.
We offer our volunteers additional range of subjects that will support them in their role, including maternal mental health, first aid, and listening skills. Volunteers attend annual safeguarding training which is combined with a celebration lunch!
Volunteering with Home-Start is an excellent way to gain skills, confidence, and experience to move on in your career.
There are many ways you can help your local community by volunteering with Home-Start Chichester & District:
- Provide 1-to-1 support to a family in their home
- Help at a Family ‘Stay & Play’ Group
- Support at a creche, allowing families to attend a short course
- Support families by driving them to an appointment
- Represent Home-Start at an event or deliver leaflets
We welcome volunteers from all walks of life, of all ages and backgrounds; it is their life experiences, attitude and interpersonal skills that matter. You do not necessarily need to be a parent to volunteer with us. You’ll need the ability to:
- Listen with understanding and with no judgement
- Maintain confidentiality
- Be committed to the family and our team
What we ask of you as a home visiting volunteer:
- undergo a free DBS check
- attend our free volunteer training course, this is normally 3 hours once a week for 7 weeks.
- visit a family at home, once a week for around two hours to support them;
- OR help out at one of our supportive and friendly Family Groups
- understand that your support for families is completely confidential
- be able to commit to at least a year
- have a non-judgemental attitude and understand about the pressure of bringing up a family
- attend annual safeguarding training and optional in-service training
Volunteers do not need any formal qualifications to support a family.
Volunteer Training
Our 7 week preparation course is enjoyable and relaxed; it’s only 3 hours, one morning a week during school hours and will fully prepare you for volunteering with Home-Start.
Our next course starts in Spring 2027 in Chichester!
We ask that you attend all the sessions, and be able to commit to volunteering with us for at least one year. Apply NOW – apply online here.
For an informal chat call 01243 773477 or send us a message through our contact us page
Join our Board of Trustees
Trustees are volunteers who come from all walks of life and with varying experience, knowledge and skills. We share a common vision, that is, to support families in the Home Start Chichester & District area through managing a successful scheme. The main requirements of a trustee are a real interest in the work of the Charity and a willingness to be involved in how it is run.
We particularly need people with skills in:
- Business planning
- Fundraising
- Human Resources
- PR and Marketing
If you would like to more about the role of a Trustee, we would be very pleased to hear from you. Call us on 01243 773477 or send us a message through our contact us page.
Next: Fundraising
