A CHARITY that looks to provide children with the best start in life is desperately looking for volunteers in the Okehampton area.

In 2016, Home-Start South and West Devon expanded its service into Okehampton and Torbay following a grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

The organisation, which offers one-to-one befriending and mentoring support to families with a child under 12 was delighted when funding was approved and has already begun to receive referrals in Okehampton but is struggling to recruit local volunteers.

Scheme manager Andrea Chandler said: ‘We have families waiting and a one day a week volunteer training course ready to start in July over six weeks, but no volunteers. We are looking for people with parenting experience and a few hours a week to spare.’

All volunteers have parenting experience and undertake 40 hours of initial training. They are offered regular on-going training and have supervision every eight weeks. Accreditation and career development support options are offered.

Volunteers visit the family they are matched to every week for around two hours and offer emotional and practical support.

Support is usually for up to a year and focuses on enabling through building confidence, supporting access and helping a family to develop networks. The aim is to build the families emotional and financial resilience.

The charity’s ‘stepping stones’ model of group work aims to engage families using intensive support and a gentle approach with a view to signposting and supporting them to access wider support services.

Lynda Chapman who has been volunteering for the scheme in Plymouth for the last five years explained what it has meant to her. She said: ‘Knowing that I have made a positive difference to someone’s day is amazing. My grandchildren are hundreds of miles away and so it is nice to spend time with the children and mum. I always leave feeling uplifted.’

If you would like to know more about the scheme or are interested in volunteering email the local co-ordinator Heather on homestart.shpt @gmail. com