Dalwood Spilstead home volunteers making a difference for young families
For the past six years, Sue Fraser has been helping families with extra support in their Northern Beaches home. The retiree visits their home once a week to assist parents, who often have no other family support and need a helping hand. Sue is one of five volunteers who are part of Dalwood Spilstead’s home volunteer program, but at least 10 more are needed to help families in the area. The Dalwood Spilstead Service at Seaforth, provides health, education and support services for families with children up to 17 years old, who are experiencing stressful situations that create difficulties in caring for, and parenting their children. Its volunteers visit
difficulties in your life, knowing that other people care, can be comforting.” All volunteers undergo training for six weeks, one day a week, and are supported by Dalwood Spilstead staff when volunteering. The Dalwood Home Volunteer Coordinator Emma Selby said the volunteer roles often suited retired people who wanted to give back to families. “Often they have been a parent themselves or have experience supporting children and families,” Emma said. Enquiries should be directed to Emma Selby on 9951 0327 or emma.selby@health.nsw.gov. au
families at home for a few hours each week to help with children’s activities, walking or providing some parental education. “The first role I had was to visit a young mum who had just had a baby. She and her husband were from overseas and had no family support here,” Sue said. “I would visit her once a week for a few hours, have a cup of tea, chat and then I would support mum in caring for the baby while she got on with her chores. I did that for about a year and then mum went back to work. “For the last five years, I have been visiting, a delightfully caring family with twin girls. (The girls) were four when I started and they have just turned 10. Again, it was for tea, time to talk to Mum and play with the girls. Hopefully it also helped Mum with her English. “Being a mum can be one of the hardest jobs in the world and if you also have other
Sue Fraser and a mum
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