News Release
Japanese visitors to Home-Start find out how we support families in the UK
In September, fifteen visitors from Japan
flew over to visit Home-Start in England.
The trip was hosted by Home-Start International and included visits to
Home-Start Spelthorne and Home-Start Westminster, where the Japanese guests saw
how these schemes operate and the important support that Home-Start offers to
families.
The fifteen visitors were all representatives of non- profit making organisations dealing with families and children, including four visitors from Home-Start Japan.
Says Professor Saigo, Founder of Home-Start Japan: "We appreciate Home-Start Westminster and Spelthorne giving us lots of information and advice on how significant Home-Start is for families and on a practical level how it's operated. The visit encouraged us to develop new schemes in Japan."
Home-Start is the UK's leading family support charity. We recruit and train volunteers to support parents with at least one child under the age of five. Our home visiting work is unique in the UK. The charity was set up in 1973 and now supports nearly 35,000 families and over 71,000 children each year. Almost 16,000 volunteers visit families in their own homes - parents supporting other parents in a variety of situations including isolation, bereavement, multiple births, illness or disability.
In 1999, Home-Start International was set up and has since been working with partners around the world to set up Home-Start schemes and support families. Active in 17 countries outside the UK, last year the international Home-Start network helped over 16,000 children.
Says Anna Stuttard Director of Home-Start International: "There is a clear and well- understood need for Home-Start schemes in Japan. Although there are many cultural differences between Japan and Western Europe, the basic fundamental needs of families stay the same. The concept of Home-Start translates through every culture."
Home-Start International developed a partnership with Japanese experts several years ago and has worked alongside them to build the much wanted home-visiting service in the country.
The fifteen Japanese delegates visited schemes in Westminster and Spelthorne, which were chosen as they highlight the multicultural society that we have in Britain.
The visitors saw at first hand how Home-Start schemes work with families from a wide variety of cultural and religious backgrounds.
Mandy Groves, scheme manager of Home-Start Spelthorne: "It was a very interesting day and different to anything we have ever done at Home-Start Spelthorne. It gave us a great opportunity to show how important Home-Start can be to parents and their children wherever they live in the world and the support Home-Start gives can cross any nationality or border".
Notes to Editor
Please find below a sample photo from the Japanese visit. High quality photos available on request.
Mr Watanabe of Koto Oyako family centre and Professor Saigo, the founder of Home-Start Japan talk to a Home-Start supported family.
To find out more about Home-Start International, call Melissa Jo on 020 7631 4358 or visit www.homestartinternational.org
To volunteer, donate or find out more about Home-Start phone free on 08000 68 63 68 or log on to http://www.home-start.org.uk
Contact details:
Jo McLeish, Press and PR Officer, Home-Start UK
Tel: 0870 220 6713
Email: jmcleish@home-start.org.uk
