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Indeed, while both staff and volunteers in the study programs worked in this
preventative role, it was more common for volunteers to do so; as a group, they served
a much larger proportion of the families overall than did the staff members, and they
served almost all of the families who did not have complex pre-existing challenges.
Participants shared that, through this process of regular, preventative visits, families and
home visitors got to know one another and form a trusting relationship. This
relationship supported parents through their everyday ups and downs, helped keep
small problems from growing larger, and helped prevent the occurrence of problems in
the first place – all through the consistent, regular provision of information, a listening
ear, and someone who could help parents to strategize and address issues.
The Consultation, Intervention, Education and Support Roles of Paid Visitors
While most of the staff members interviewed also served a small number of
families in this ongoing, relationship-based home visiting role, they played a wide range
of additional roles, and were thus engaged with a much larger number of families and
volunteers overall. They provided volunteers with guidance, support, education, and
mentoring. They provided families with education and support on particular issues,
made referrals to specialized services, and advocated for parents and children as
needed. Staff also played various intervention roles – for example, during a time of crisis
within a program family, to clarify a volunteer’s role or the program mandate, or to take
over as a family’s home visitor, if needed.
The ‘consultation, support and coaching’ roles played by staff were highly valued
by all six volunteer study participants, who expressed that the availability and ‘back-up’
of staff helped them to feel secure in going out to do their work. These volunteers
reported that they could take on new families without having to worry about leaving a
family without any service, even if the situation was challenging, as they knew that the
staff team was there to support them in their role, and if necessary, to take over that
role. Examples from two programs include:
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