Volunteer for Home-Start Norfolk
Volunteering with Home-Start Norfolk is a fulfilling experience. Make a significant impact to young children and their parents in your community. Join us today!
Volunteer For Home-Start Norfolk
Volunteering with Home-Start Norfolk is a fulfilling experience. Make a significant impact on young children and their parents in your community. Join us today!
Volunteer Enquiry Form
Enquire to start your Home-Start Norfolk volunteering journey. A member of our friendly team will be in touch to discuss the role and answer any questions you have.
Be a Home-Start Norfolk volunteer
Experience the incredible journey of volunteering with Home-Start Norfolk and be a part of something amazing. Join our exceptional team of dedicated volunteers, recognised with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, for their profound impact in the lives of children and parents in Norfolk.
By generously dedicating a few hours of your time each week, you can create a lasting difference to the lives of children. Start your Home-Start Norfolk volunteering journey today and make a meaningful impact. Enquire now.
Why Volunteer For Home-Start Norfolk
At Home-Start Norfolk, we provide comprehensive training led by our expert staff. You will use this along with your parenting knowledge and experience to help strengthen and support families. Offering emotional and practical support, you’ll connect families with vital community services, building their resilience and empowering them to overcome life’s challenges. You will be fully supported throughout your entire volunteering journey with a dedicated Family Service Coordinator and regular supervisions.
Volunteering for Home-Start Norfolk is a truly rewarding role that seamlessly fits into your own family and responsibilities. Just a couple of hours a week can make an immeasurable impact—not just for the families, but for your own personal growth and fulfillment.
Volunteer Roles Available
We have a number of volunteering roles available at Home-Start Norfolk:
Home-Visiting Volunteer
We ask that you commit a couple of hours each week to be able to support a family in their own home. Support usually lasts for around six months, during which time you will offer confidential, non-judgmental, practical and emotional support to a family.
This may include:
Parental and child well-being,
Help for parents to access local parent groups
Healthy eating routines
School readiness
Financial well-being
A listening ear while the children play
There will also be opportunities for you to help run our various parent groups we offer across the year. Â You will receive comprehensive training from our expert staff, with regular supervision from your dedicated Family Service Coordinator.
Telephone Support Volunteer
Sometimes, parents just need to hear a reassuring voice on the other end of the phone, letting them know that support is available. Our Telephone Befriender Volunteers will reach out to families for a friendly chat to understand their needs, find suitable services, and direct them to local opportunities.
Fundraising and Support Volunteer
Without volunteers helping us to raise much-needed, vital funds, we could not continue our work supporting Norfolk families. Our fundraising and Support volunteers are committed to helping us raise our profile, run events and collect donations, all of which fund our family work. Through your support we are able to continue to give children the best start in life.
Benefits Of Volunteering For Home-Start Norfolk
There are so many incredible benefits of volunteering with Home-Start Norfolk. By joining our passionate community, you will have the chance to make a significant difference in the lives of families and young children in your area. Our ongoing training programme will empower you with valuable skills and boost your confidence. Not only will you gain practical work experience, but you will also form new friendships with fellow volunteers and enhance your self-esteem. Join us today and be part of something amazing!
Training to Become a Volunteer
We understand the importance of inclusivity and recognise that everyone has different commitments. That’s why we offer multiple options for training.
Join us for face-to-face training sessions held across the county. Over the course of 4-5 weeks, you’ll attend sessions on a designated day and time, typically between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.
Alternatively, we offer flexible online training that you can complete at your own pace. Each week, you’ll be assigned a module to work on, and an interactive online tutorial will be conducted to support your progress. These tutorials are usually held on a set evening.Â
Take the step today and become a volunteer to make a meaningful impact in your community.
FAQs
Do I need any qualifications?
- No, only real-life experience and knowledge in parenting.
What if I can’t visit a family every week?
- It’s not an issue. While we expect your commitment to supporting a family, we understand that circumstances change. Just stay in touch and let us know if you need to make any necessary adjustments.
How far will I have to travel?
- The distance is up to you. We will inquire about your willingness to travel and the time you can dedicate each time you are matched with a family.
Can I claim expenses for my travel?
- Absolutely, no volunteer should be out of pocket.
Is there a chance of gaining paid employment after a period of volunteering?
- Through training, you will gain additional skills and qualifications that can enhance your job opportunities. Many volunteers have gone on to successful careers.
Is ‘housework’ and babysitting part of the volunteer role?
- No, we clearly communicate to families that our services do not include those tasks.
How much will my family know about me?
- We ensure that boundaries between your volunteer role and personal life are respected. This will be discussed thoroughly during training.
Will I meet other volunteers? Will I have a mentor or manager to support me?
- You will be assigned a dedicated Family Service Coordinator in your district. There will be regular opportunities to meet volunteers in your area.
Can I volunteer evenings and weekends?
- Our service operates Monday to Friday, between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, and all visits should be scheduled within these hours.
Upcoming Training Courses
Face-to-Face Training Course
Online Training Course
Upcoming Training Courses:
- 5-Week Course – April 2026: Starts 27th April
- 5-Week Course – September 2026: Dates TBC
- 5-Week Course – November 2026: Dates TBC
- 5-Week Course – January 2027: Dates TBC
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Testimonials
Lisa - Great Yarmouth
“I’m honoured to give back to an organisation that was there for me when I needed it most. Volunteering is my way of showing my appreciation and showing those who feel alone that they are not.”
Linda - Kings Lynn
“I love my job as a Home-Start Norfolk volunteer! I get great satisfaction out of helping the families get back on there feet and seeing the impact we have made in their lives.”
Wendy - Norwich
It is rewarding to give back to others and know my support is making a real difference to famlies lives. It is wonderful watching the progress the families make. Home-Start Norfolk is supportive and always there to guide me along the way.”Â
Volunteer case studies
Tracey’s Story
Read to see how volunteering for Home-Start Norfolk truly made an incredible impact on Tracey and changed her life. “Volunteering for Home-Start...
Sharon’s Story
Driven by her personal experience with Post Natal Depression, Sharon talks about her decision to volunteer at Home-Start Norfolk and the rewarding...
Sarah’s Story
Early years teacher Sarah started her volunteer journey with us in June 2021. Sarah tells us why she chose to volunteer for Home-Start Norfolk and...
Dave’s Story
Dave has been volunteering for Home-Start Norfolk since 2021 and to date has worked alongside 3 families. “Nine years ago, I was working a fill-in...
Sarah’s Story
Sarah volunteered for Home-Start Norfolk for over nine years. As she moves out of the county to be closer to her own family Sarah reflects on her...
Alison’s story
Alison had previously worked in health care and retail prior to having her three children. She was unemployed and receiving income support when she...
Other ways to volunteer for Home-Start Norfolk
Share you skills to help our work
If being a Family Support Volunteer isn’t for you, you may be able to help us in others ways. Many have volunteered their time and skills for:
- digital promotion
- being a local volunteer for key events
- Selling on Ebay/Vinted
You may also be able to help in ways we haven’t thought about yet.
So if you want to get involved, get in touch and let us know what you have in mind.
Join us as a Trustee to help shape the future of our work with families
Our Trustees provide strategic support and direction for Home-Start Norfolk. They bring a wide range of skills to the organisation and help us to grow and develop.
Our Trustees provide essential leadership, guidance and governance from their own professional or lived experiences. They also play an important role as ambassadors for our work and can offer particular skills to the organisation (like human resources, information management or finance, for example). We welcome interest from those who can be passionate about our work with parents, children, families and the community.
Importantly, the Board of Trustees should reflect the communities in which we work. 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 as a Trustee is a few 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 we can be flexible to suit individual motivations to volunteer.
If you are interested in finding out more about the opportunity to join us, please contact us to arrange an informal chat.