Home-Start Aberdeen has issued a fresh call for new trustees following the departure of one of its longest-serving volunteers.
Yvonne Wright, Chief Nurse for Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s clinical support team, is stepping down this spring after 21 years with the charity.
Now, Home-Start Aberdeen is calling for motivated and enthusiastic volunteers to join their board.
Without the kindness of its supporters, the charity cannot fulfil its vision to give every local child the best possible start in life.
‘These families feel someone is there for them’
Yvonne explains why she has supported Home-Start for more than two decades.
“I’ve been fortunate to meet some of the families who’ve benefitted from Home-Start’s services,” she said. “These families spoke candidly about their pre and post Home-Start experiences and I felt humbled by their stories, and proud to be part of the Home-Start team.”
As a referring health visitor, Yvonne had professional insight too.
“The home-visiting volunteers are a constant in the family – they don’t come and go, they’re a stable, supportive presence, providing a listening ear and genuine empathy.
“Sometimes for the first time, these families feel someone is there for them – ultimately giving individuals a huge and much-needed confidence boost in their own abilities as parents.”
Yvonne has watched Home-Start grow from a small operation in Matrick to a city-wide service with headquarters in the city centre. The opening of the charity shop on George Street was a particular highlight.
“For some customers who come on a weekly basis in search of a friendly face, it may be the only contact they have from week to week,” she says. “One small exchange can make a big difference to people.”
New skills to learn
Yvonne has more than 40 years’ healthcare experience, but Home-Start Aberdeen volunteers come from a wide variety of backgrounds. In her own time with the charity, the sector has changed considerably and Yvonne learned many new skills.
“Charities have had to change with the introduction of independent regulators,” she says. “I’ve learned a lot about financial accountability and the importance of charities documenting how they raise and spend money.”
The time commitment for trustees vary depending on the month and the type of role. Yvonne says it’s helpful to have a supportive employer, and she benefited from a mentor when she first came on board.
Twenty-one years on, she says the effort is absolutely worth it.
“Being a trustee you get so much more back than you put in. To help make a difference to families is deeply satisfying and rewarding.”
Can you help?
Home-Start Aberdeen would love to hear from people who want to make a difference to families in Aberdeen. Trustees meet four times a year, in the evening, with a separate six-monthly strategy review. The charity’s trustees are there to provide support and direction to the team of staff and family support volunteers.
Home-Start welcomes and celebrates diversity, so get in touch if you think you can help.
The most important quality? “Trustees need a positive, can-do approach,” says Yvonne. “These traits are exactly what Home-Start needs.”
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