When busy working mum of four, Sahdya Mushtaq, 38, was looking for a career change, becoming a Home-Start volunteer gave her the kick-start she needed towards a career in family support.
Sahdya’s story
I first came across Home-Start when I was working at a local Children’s Centre. I wanted to go into family support as a career and when I came across a leaflet recruiting for volunteers, it sounded interesting and a step in the right direction to a new career.
I did the ten-week introduction course, which covers everything you need to feel ready to support a family in their home. The Home-Start co-ordinators get to know us thoroughly over the ten-week’s training and find us an appropriate family match at the end.
Because I work part-time, I support one family each week and every family I have supported has very different needs. One of the mums that I have supported was struggling in the beginning because of health reasons and felt very isolated. She was living with her husband’s family and did not know anyone outside of the family. I’ve always been told that I’m a great listener so the mum would offload her worries to me. I would take her and her toddler out into town and different places so she could do things that she had not really done before.
The volunteering that I have done has really built the skill set to enable me to do my job as a Healthcare Support Worker. It has given me an insight as to how families are different and need additional help and support. You don’t realise how many people are out there struggling. It has built up my confidence – knowing that I am achieving something good by helping others.
I work alongside a paediatrician and talk to families and children as part of my job and my volunteering experience has had a massive impact on my ability to do this comfortably. In addition, I have extensive knowledge of the Keighley area and what is out there to support families.
While volunteering has helped my career, the best thing about it is feeling welcomed and knowing that someone is wanting me to come and see them. It is a lovely feeling – you feel like you are making a difference just by being there.
What the families say:
Kauser and her little girl Khatija are supported by Sahdya. Kauser says: “I felt very low before Sahdya started supporting me. I now feel mentally stronger and have the confidence to go ahead and do things now without hesitation and not rely on others.
“I am so proud that I made the decision to have a Home-Start volunteer as it has changed my life – I have learnt to laugh and smile again!”
