Home-Start volunteers support families in a sensitive and flexible way.

They share their time, friendship and work alongside parents focussing on their strengths and offering families the opportunity to develop new relationships, ideas and skills. This usually leads to renewed interest in the children, an improved response to their needs and greater confidence to avail themselves of other resources within their community.

Volunteers visit with a family once a week, for approximately 2 hours.

The approach of the volunteer varies but will include:

Offering support, friendship and practical assistance.

Reassuring parents that difficulties in bringing up children is not  unusual.

Encouraging enjoyment of family life.

Taking the time to develop a relationship with the family and an  understanding of their needs.

Encouraging the parents strengths and emotional well-being for the  ultimate benefit of the children.

Encouraging families to widen their network of relationships and to  use effectively the support and services available within the  community.
The ethos of Home-Start Watford & Three Rivers can be best described as :
‘one parent helping another parent through a stressful time’