Managing A Scheme
Every Home-Start volunteer who supports families has their own support system as well - from the staff at their local Scheme to the national staff of Home-Start UK.
Although Home-Start is a UK-wide charity supporting families in 340 different communities, each local Home-Start Scheme is independently run and managed by volunteer Trustees with experience in key areas such as business management, finance, fundraising, health and social services and IT and HR skills.
Our Trustees come from all walks of life, bringing their individual skills to our local schemes. All our Trustees volunteer because they want to improve the lives of parents and children; what they get back is the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped their community and, in many cases, a chance to enhance their own skills and knowledge.
Trustees on a Scheme's management committee have overall responsibility for managing that Scheme and ensuring it acts at all times within its constitution and the Home-Start Agreement. They in turn employ and oversee an organiser/co-ordinator who will administer the Scheme and supervise and support the volunteers.
Management committee Trustees are responsible for:
- The effective management of the Scheme, including funding, insurance and premises
- Implementing good practice and procedures in employing and supervising staff
- Ensuring policies such as equal opportunities and health and safety are adhered to
- Providing vision, leadership and direction
- Monitoring and evaluating the Scheme's work on a regular basis
Trustees can take on a major role in a management committee, for instance as a Chairperson, Treasurer or Secretary, or sit in as a member in a hands-on or even an advisory capacity.
As part of Home-Start's commitment to training and support, all Trustees receive a thorough induction programme and ongoing training in such areas as team building, communication, strategic planning, confidentiality issues, equal opportunities, health and safety and child protection.
Read our real trustee volunteer stories.
Can you help?
If you'd like to become a volunteer Trustee:- Find out about our "We're Asking" trustee recruitment campaign
- Contact your local Scheme
- E-mail volunteering@home-start.org.uk or
- Contact our freephone information line on 0800 068 63 68
I became a Trustee of Home-Start in 2000 simply because I so wished I had had the support of a volunteer during those very terrible times in my life....although I came through it all, I could have easily tipped over the edge. I don't want anyone else in my position to have to cope on their own.
Lindsay Nicholson
Former Editor, Good Housekeeping Magazine
Home-Start raises self-confidence, improves social networks, reduces difficult behaviour on the part of the child and improves physical and mental health
"Every Child Matters"
Government Green Paper
