Volunteering
“It’s so rewarding doing this. You can help families learn to trust again,
to find hope and help them to find strength to connect with others in their communities.”
Chantal – Volunteer
Do you have experience with young children and have two hours to spare a week?
Your experience could make a huge difference to a local family.
Volunteer Family Befriender Opportunity
Who are we looking for?
- Are you ready to give back to the community and learn new skills?
- Could you visit a family for 2 hours a week to offer friendship and practical and emotional support?
- Can you spend time with a young parent, helping to build their confidence as they prepare for life with a small baby?
- Support a father on his journey into parenthood?
- Or support a family who find it difficult to just get out of the house?
If so, this volunteer role is for you!
Our Volunteers:
- Have experience caring for children
- Understand the pressures of bringing up a family
- Commit to befriending a family in their home for two hours each week
- Volunteer for a minimum of six months after completing the Preparation course
- Provide a listening ear and are non-judgemental in their approach
- Understand that their support for families is confidential.
We offer:
- A free Volunteer Preparation Course
- Regular one-to-one and/or group supervision and support from the Home-Start team
- Additional specialist training to enhance your skills and experience
- Forums and social events with other volunteers
- Reimbursement of travel expenses
- Tempo Time Credits rewards
- An opportunity to become work ready
Other Volunteering Opportunities
- We need volunteers to help with office admin, fundraising, family groups, events and outings, one-off workshops, and seasonal activities. Please get in touch to find out more!
- If you are a local business looking for ways to support us we always welcome team volunteer enquiries – find out more here.
- You can support us as a volunteer trustee. Please visit our Trustees page for further information.
If you have any questions, please call us on 020 7724 1345 or email [email protected]
See our Volunteer Befriending Role Description | Hear from our volunteers about their experience
Next Volunteer Preparation Courses
- Winter 2025: Twice a week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10am to 2.30pm: 18, 19, 25, 26, November and 2 and 3 December.
- Location: Cheyne Family Hub – Strawberry Room. The final week will be delivered at our Office in Marylebone.
Full details will be provided closer to the date.
Further courses will be delivered in 2026.
Dates will be announced in due course and published on this page.
To Apply:
Please complete our online form using the link below. Once received, we will invite you for an interview.
Before supporting a family, you will need to complete our Volunteer Preparation Course. All trained volunteers will undergo reference and enhanced DBS checks before being matched with a family.
You will receive a confirmation email and a copy of your submission within 5–10 working days
Online Drop-In Information Sessions
Interested in volunteering with us and want to find out more?
If you would like to find out what volunteering with us is like, we’re now running online drop-in information sessions where you can chat 1-on-1 with a member of our team.
These informal sessions are a great chance to ask questions, learn about the roles available, and see if volunteering with us is the right fit for you.
We would love to tell you more about how you can get involved!
Drop-In Sessions
Tuesdays, 10:00 – 11:00 AM
Join on Zoom Here.
Meeting ID: 910 4278 6200 | Passcode: HSW
If you have questions and to find out more, please contact us on:
020 7724 1345 | [email protected]