Local family support charity Home-Start Aberdeen says it is receiving the highest volume of referrals for help than it has ever seen. In the first eight weeks of 2022, it has received more than 40 new enquiries to support families who are struggling to cope. This already represents 30% of the total referrals the charity received last year.
General manager, Eleanor McEwan has warned that the true impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is starting to flood through and combined with soaring costs of living, families across the city are struggling to cope financially and emotionally.
Home-Start Aberdeen provides crucial help for struggling young families, who have at least one child under the age of five. Every day its local, trained volunteer network provides compassionate, confidential and life-changing support to help families create a secure, loving home environment where their children can grow up happy, healthy, confident and able to achieve their full potential.
The charity is now calling for more volunteers to help provide practical and emotional support to meet the demand for help from families across the city.
“The sheer volume of referrals we have received over the past few weeks is quite staggering,” says Eleanor. We have a team of 6 coordinators and around 70 volunteers and it’s just not enough to meet the demand we’re currently seeing. Families have been in survival mode for the past two years, now they are at breaking point and they need help.
The charity is inviting anyone who might be interested in becoming a home-visiting volunteer to get in touch. All volunteers receive full training and support from expert staff, with the next training course due to begin in March. To find out more or to register an interest contact Home-Start Aberdeen volunteer coordinators on 01224 693545 or by email at admin@homestartaberdeen.org.uk.
“The pandemic in itself was bad enough, but coupled with the latest economic picture, it means that families who were already struggling are struggling even more. Just two hours of support from a volunteer a week can make a big difference to a parent and their children,” added Eleanor.
“We're spending a lot more time dealing with families in financial crisis situations which ultimately has a massive impact on the emotional wellbeing of parents and their children. Many parents are in stressful situations and are having to make tough decisions as they struggle to adapt to the pressures. As much as we all try to shield our children from these struggles, they are being impacted as a result, and nobody wants children to bear that burden.
Margaret Ogilvie has been a home-visiting volunteer with Home-Start Aberdeen for around 7 years. In that time she has supported several families, all of whom have had different needs and faced different challenges, yet all in need of the same thing, someone to listen. “Most of the time it’s the simplest of things, it’s just an ear, someone to listen, someone who isn’t making any judgements,” says Margaret. “All the mums I’ve supported have been great mums, they just needed to believe in themselves. It’s a real privilege to have parents open up, trust me and then see them grow in confidence and be empowered so that they don’t need me anymore. I get a huge amount from being a Home-Start volunteer.”
In 2020/21 the charity supported 189 families in Aberdeen, including 283 children, with 93 volunteers giving their skills, time (4,600 hours) and energy to help make life better for children and families.
For over 30 years Home-Start Aberdeen has been supporting vulnerable families across the city to prevent family crisis and breakdown. These families have at least one child under the age of five and are typically affected by social isolation, bereavement, relationship problems, illness, disability and financial hardship.
For more information on Home-Start Aberdeen visit www.homestartaberdeen.org.uk