Home visiting service Home-Start has been supporting families in the Goulburn region for 20 years and recent funding will allow them to help more families thrive.
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The Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal provided $48,000 in funding as part of Home-Start Goulburn's Breathe and Rebuild project.
Home-Start family worker Moira Ritchie said the funding will allow her to rebuild after a decline in volunteers following COVID.
"Home-Start lost a lot of volunteers after COVID which had a massive impact on families," she said.
The volunteers visit a family once a week and provide support with accessing services and supporting them with their parenting.
"It's all about connection and reassuring parents that they're doing a great job," Ms Ritchie said.
The funding will allow Ms Ritchie to train a new group of volunteers and she said she is excited to link the new volunteers to families.
"We will be able to expand the amount of families that are going to be able to be supported in the community," she said.
Building a parents confidence is another key aim of Home-Start.
"One week our volunteers could be folding washing and having a cup of tea and then the next week they could be supporting mum to attend paediatrician appointments or even attending play group with them," Ms Ritchie said.
One volunteer has been supporting the same family for about five years now and Ms Ritchie said it's a special connection for both the volunteer and the family.
"She's like a grandmother to those children and is a motherly figure for the mum," she said.
There is currently a wait-list for families and Ms Ritchie said she would love to hear from any community members who would like to volunteer and support families.
"Volunteers are the salt of the earth and we wouldn't be able to service or support as many families as we do without them," she said.
Home-Start supports quite a few single dad's also and Ms Fraser said any male volunteers would be a great addition to the service.
Home-Start supports any family who has children aged eight-years and under.
To express your interest, please email goulburn@homestartaustralia.org.
Laura Rumbel
Laura Rumbel is a journalist who has always called Maitland home. She has been with the Maitland Mercury since 2022, and is passionate about all areas of local news.
Laura Rumbel is a journalist who has always called Maitland home. She has been with the Maitland Mercury since 2022, and is passionate about all areas of local news.
