Select a region
Could you offer a few hours a week to help a struggling family or young person? A local charity is seeking 15 volunteers for a new scheme aiming to provide support, stability, confidence and friendship.
Brightly's new pilot initiative, 'Home-Start Jersey', will see volunteers complete in-depth training before being partnered up with an individual or family who they will visit once a week.
In Jersey, Home-Start scheme will offer support, friendship and confidence to three key groups: care leavers aged 16 to 25; families with pre-school children where the parent is care experienced; and families with pre-school children where a child or parent is experiencing poor health.
The scheme is already successfully in place in 180 locations across the British Isles, including Guernsey.
Steve Harvey, Volunteer Coordinator, described Home-Start Jersey as an "important new local initiative which will support individuals and families with many issues including isolation, loneliness, their mental health, financial worries and many other matters."
He continued: "We are looking for people who can give some of their spare time and kindness to make a real difference to another person's life. If you have the time, we have the role. Being a volunteer for Home-Start Jersey will make an impact that will last a lifetime."
Picture: Home-start Jersey will provide support to both families and young people who need guidance or a friend.
Steve added: "Volunteering is a wonderfully rewarding opportunity to give your time knowing it is making a big difference to a family or individual in our community. It is such a simple concept but a really powerful one. Our volunteers will be all ages, genders, with many different backgrounds, skills and experiences. Not all of them will be parents.
"If you can spare a few hours each week, you could help an individual or parents not just survive but thrive. As a Home-Start Jersey volunteer, you will be given training and support to be effective and make a real difference to others in your community. You will also develop transferable skills which can support you in your life, whether that's at home or at work."
According to Brightly, volunteers will:
be making a real difference to a young family or a young person in Jersey;
feel part of a team and be supported;
build your self-confidence and develop your skills;
enjoy the time you spend volunteering for Home-Start Jersey;
feel useful, wanted and fulfilled within your role;
receive initial and ongoing training;
be paid expenses;
develop transferable skills;
have fun, learn lots, meet people and make a huge difference.
Jennie Mann, Head of Volunteering for Home-Start UK, said: “Our roots in communities mean we are well placed to stand alongside families facing challenges in their lives.
"We are extremely proud to welcome Home-Start Jersey to the Home-Start network. We look forward to welcoming more volunteers on board to help us continue our vital work.”
The new scheme aims to build on Brightly's 100-year history of supporting some of the island's most vulnerable children and families, previously under the name of Brig-y-Don.
Speaking to the Bailiwick Express Podcast, Steve spoke of the importance of stability for vulnerable children and young people's wellbeing and futures, and how Home-Start aims to provide this, alongside existing work to provide the items and experiences that young people might normally "take for granted", whether a new phone or driving lessons.
Do you think you could provide support with the Home-Start Scheme?
For more information, CLICK HERE or or email Steve Harvey, the Volunteer Coordinator, steve@brightly.je.
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.