HOME-START IN FLANDERS AND BRUSSELS

Working on resilience

Home-Start Flanders believes that social support and a strong network in our society are protective factors for families in vulnerable situations. Trained volunteers offer social and educational support as a friend at home through a Home-Start project that offers children, young people, and their parents experiences in how they can use their strengths and social network. They learn to solve common, minor problems that are part of normal parenting and growing up.

Prevention through presence

The volunteers who offer support and practical help with family and educational tasks are the core of the Home-Start project. The unique aspect of this type of project is that one volunteer visits one family for half a day per week on average for a longer period of time.

Through the weekly presence of the volunteer in the family, Home-Start increases the resilience and skills of the parents. Volunteers work to expand the social network of the family. As such Home-Start contributes to the welfare of the (future) child.

Home-Start contributes to a local deprivation, family and child policy

Home-Start Flanders believes that tackling child poverty requires a global approach at different policy levels and that that local government is a crucial level to reach children at risk.

Together with local government, Home-Start Flanders works on Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 1 – no poverty; SDG 3 – increase the well-being of everyone and SDG 10 – reduce inequality; SDG 11 – resilient cities and SDG 17 – create partnerships. The Home-Start methodology aims to increase resilience and to empower residents and cities. Through local Home-Start operations and in close cooperation with the local government and local partners, Home-Start Flanders supports solidarity between citizens and voluntary engagement in the city or local community.

Home-Start, an international story

Since October 2020 Domo vzw has been an official associate member of Home-Start Worldwide. This membership enhance a more qualitative and evidence-based operation in cooperation with local partners and partners abroad. Home-Start Flanders is now active in 11 cities and municipalities (Januari 2021). It aspires to further roll out highly accessible and preventive family support initiatives in Flanders and Brussels.