Volunteer Home-Start Northampton Trustee

What will you be doing?

We need people who are good communicators and listeners and can work collaboratively. A little bit of you can change children’s lives. Home-Start Northampton need more Trustees to do the vital work in steering and supporting our vision and strategy to work with vulnerable families in Northampton - every minute and every hour count. Don’t be put off by those words! We need you to bring your attitude, perspective and enthusiasm – everything else can be developed and provided. Everyone brings something different to being a Trustee – what could you bring? Becoming a trustee is one of the most powerful ways you can contribute to your local community while using and building a wealth of skills. The work being done by Home-Start trustees has never been more important as families reach breaking point during the cost-of-living crisis. We are seeking experience in marketing, IT, events, fundraising, safeguarding, or just your passion and common sense. We are a small, professional but friendly charity wanting to grow.  All we need is around 4 hours a month of your time.    Quote from a Trustee: ‘When I first joined Home-Start I asked myself 'is this a service that can actually change people’s lives?' And the answer is a certain yes. Early intervention has a positive ripple effect on children’s lives and the earlier we start the better’. It will lead you on a fantastic journey. Come on, give us a call, or email

What are we looking for?

We would love people who are keen, good listeners, good communicators and are willing to learn and work collaboratively Ideally we are looking for skills in marketing, IT and fundraising, in addition to a more representative Board of the area we work in, i.e.: age, gender, ethnic minority Trustees. There is lots of training if needed and a real willingness to welcome new members to the team.

What difference will you make?

You will be part of a team of volunteer Trustees and Advisors who want to make a difference to vulnerable families in Northampton.  Reaching children when they are young will change their lives.  We are friendly and small, but have big aspirations to grow!  There are so many families we cannot reach, who fall below the threshold for more formal support and we can make a difference to their lives.  We need more volunteers, and innovative help with marketing to attract them.  We are very open to new ideas, new ways of working, innovation - we want to develop, and you can be part of that.  We have bags of enthusiasm on the Board, but would love to have more expertise, more diverse Trustees - age, gender, ethnic minority representation. Quotes from families:

It made a massive difference.  It gave me me back My children were happier because I was more relaxed, so they were.  I can get things back on track.   I am not worried about going out, I am not anxious about things.  I know I am a good mum, before I didn’t know that.  All of that changed because someone came in and gave me a couple of hours of their time. I knew that no matter how bad the 6 days were, on the 7th day someone was going to save me for 2 hours, that meant the world to me, I could get through that.

Volunteer quote:

The thing she got from me is a kind of unwavering support. The fact that I was from a charity and not from a statutory organisation and she was being let down by statutory bodies left, right and centre. There was no punitive action for her not taking my advice. So I think that is a sort of real selling point for Home-Start