“I like people…I know that seems a strange thing to say, but as a volunteer with Home-Start it helps if you genuinely enjoy meeting new people from all different walks of life, and are interested in talking and listening to them…sometimes for the first time, these families feel someone is there for them.”

As we continue our campaign to recruit new trustees for our board in 2023 and beyond, we hear from veteran trustee and Chief Nurse for Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s Clinical Support team, Yvonne Wright, who steps down from the role this year after 21 years.

“As a trainee health visitor at Northfield and Mastrick Practice in Aberdeen, I was supported by a mentor who was on Home-Start Aberdeen’s board of trustees, and had the opportunity to attend meetings as a learning experience. Impressed by what I saw, I frequently referred families to the service once I qualified, and could see the support they received and the huge difference Home-Start makes to the local community. I was invited to join the board and was given permission by my employer NHS Grampian. I’ve remained a trustee as I fully believe in the difference that Home-Start makes to local family’s lives.”

From Chair and Vice Chair to Trustee, Yvonne has held various roles on the board over the course of twenty years, each with their own responsibilities, as she explains: “From participating in board meetings and engaging with potential donors to wrapping up Christmas gifts for families, no two days are ever the same! I’ve also attended some civic events and taken part in Celebrate Aberdeen.”

Some of Yvonne’s most rewarding experiences have been during her interactions with families: “I’ve been fortunate to meet some of the families who’ve benefitted from Home-Start’s services. 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.

“I also helped to set up the charity shop on George Street,” continues Yvonne. “This was to raise money for the charity but also to provide volunteering opportunities for families and the local community. It’s been so rewarding to see the difference the shop has made not only financially but to volunteers and customers. 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. One small exchange can make a big difference to people.”

Making a difference is a recurring theme in Yvonne’s experience of working with and for Home-Start Aberdeen, and a key factor in her ongoing commitment to the charity. “ As a referring Health Visitor I’d seen first-hand the difference Home-Start makes to families who need help at what can be at a very difficult time in their lives. 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’s experience of almost 40 years in the health sector has stood her in good stead for her role as a trustee. “I like people. I know that’s a strange thing to say but being able to listen to and talk with people is really important. So are negotiating skills, as you work alongside other trustees to benefit the charity. Each of us brings own set of skills – and it’s a much richer board as a result.”

There are also skills to be gained by becoming a trustee, as she explains. “Charities have had to change with the introduction of independent regulators. I’ve learned a lot about financial accountability and the importance of charities documenting how they raise and spend money.”

Time commitments for volunteer trustees vary from month to month and largely depend on the role, explains Yvonne – a treasurer would spend more time than a regular trustee, for example, given the regulation required. She’s clear the time input is worth it, however: “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.”

The highlights of her trustee-ship are numerous, says Yvonne, but watching Home-Start Aberdeen grow from being a small operation in Mastrick to a city-wide service with headquarters in the city centre was a pleasing game-changer for the organisation and families across the city. “Being able to provide support to a greater number of children and their families was fantastic. Opening the charity shop was another milestone moment, and I’ll never forget winning the national Home-Start Trustee of the Year Award. But seeing families come through the service and then have the confidence to become volunteers themselves – that’s probably the biggest highlight, and a journey I feel proud to have been involved in.”

Yvonne’s advice to anyone considering volunteering as a trustee? “It’s a huge help if your employer is supportive of your voluntary role, so that’s worth establishing in the first instance,” explains Yvonne. “Beyond that, trustees need a positive, can-do approach – these traits are exactly what Home-Start needs.”

We’re currently looking for motivated and enthusiastic volunteers to join our board and help us fulfil our vision for every child in our area to have the best possible start in life. All volunteers from different backgrounds, our board of trustees provide direction and support to our team of staff and family support volunteers. Trustees meet four times a year in the evening with a separate six-monthly review of strategy. If you would like to make a difference to families in Aberdeen, please get in touch for a chat. Home-Start Aberdeen positively welcomes and seeks to ensure we achieve diversity. We encourage participation from all regardless of age, race, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or nationality.