NEWS
TRUSTEES NEEDED – NOW !
Local volunteers ensuring no child ’ s future is limited
Support – Michelle Hardy , scheme manager at Home-Start Teesside at Brambles Farm , Middlesbrough .
PICTURE : CHRIS BOOTH WORDS : DAVE ROBSON
Parenting isn ’ t always child ’ s play – in fact , it can be lonely , frustrating and overwhelming . But that ’ s where a small , communitybased Teesside charity steps in by giving families with children under-five practical and confidential support .
For the past 40 years , Home-Start Teesside , based in Brambles Farm , has been there for parents across Middlesbrough , Redcar and Cleveland , Stockton and occasionally beyond who need a helping hand and a listening ear .
Part of the national Home-Start network – the UK ’ s biggest family support charity – its team of 15 volunteers visits the homes of families who are struggling with aspects of parenting .
But after Covid exacerbated feelings of loneliness and isolation , its services have rarely been needed more – and now it ’ s keen to attract extra support , with trustees , volunteers and more funding all sought . Scheme manager Michelle Hardy explained : “ There ’ s not really anyone else doing what we do , so we often get overwhelmed with requests for support .
“ It ’ s all about standing alongside , and being there for , parents . When you need that support , if it ’ s targeted to individuals , that makes a massive difference . Then they don ’ t need to access statutory services , so we ’ re all about prevention .
“ We match a trained volunteer with skills that can help families who come to us for many different reasons , whether that be poor mental or physical health , bereavement , post-natal depression , financial worries , loneliness or isolation .
“ Being a parent for the first time is quite daunting . You come out of hospital and
118 | Tees Business think , ‘ What do I do ?’. Then it ’ s all about kindness , compassion , humour and being non-judgemental .
“ Our volunteer goes into a family home once a week for two to three hours . That ’ s massive – not many services can offer that amount of time . And while , on average , we ’ d maybe support a family for nine months , we treat each family on their own need – we could be there for six weeks or three years . And the longer-term families are often the ones we make the most profound difference with .”
Home-Start ’ s trustees provide essential leadership , guidance and governance from their own professional or lived experiences . They also play an important role as ambassadors for Home-Start ’ s work and can offer particular skills to the organisation such as human resources , information management or finance .
“ We welcome interest from those who can be passionate about our work with parents , children , families and the community ,” Michelle said .
Importantly , the board of trustees should reflect the communities in which Home- Start works .
Applications are particularly welcome from people who can provide : > General business management skills . > Financial and legal expertise . > IT knowledge . > PR and media skills . > Health and safety expertise . > Knowledge of family support issues in the community . Michelle said : “ We already benefit from a variety of skills , experiences and backgrounds and now need to add to that dynamic and creative team .”
The minimum commitment for a trustee is eight-to-10 hours each month , to attend meetings or to engage in board discussions via email and online forums .
Further opportunities to get involved are possible too , so there is flexibility to suit individual motivations to volunteer .
Michelle added : “ The lived experience is the best support , along with humour , humility and , most importantly , kindness .
“ Often , all you have to do is listen to someone to make them feel better and our volunteers are very good listeners .”
As well as 15 home visiting volunteers , who undergo a nine-week preparation course , Home-Start Teesside has five trustees and 18 volunteers at its shops in Norton , Stockton and two in Middlesbrough .
It costs around £ 168,000 a year to run the scheme , with support from the likes of the National Lottery and Children in Need , plus community fundraising .
But with demand for its services higher than ever – it supported 108 families and 340 children in tax year 2020-21 compared to 46 and 96 the previous year – it ’ s looking to boost volunteer numbers and attract more financial support .
Michelle said : “ Our volunteers ’ main skills are being non-judgemental , kind , having a passion for children and wanting to make the community better . It ’ s all about that empathy , that understanding if you ’ re , say , a first-time mum or an asylum seeker in a different community .
“ It ’ s about having an extra pair of hands and a listening ear . If you ’ ve got someone alongside you who understands , saying , ‘ It ’ s OK , you ’ re doing great ’, it makes the world of difference .”
Home-Start is urgently seeking new trustees . Email michelle . hardy @ homestart-teesside . org . uk or visit homestart-teesside . org . uk .