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Home-Start Malta launches Annual Report and awards volunteers
Thursday, July 15, 2010

Home-Start Malta yesterday launched the Annual Report for 2009 at Agenzija Appogg. During the same event, 6 new volunteers were presented with a certificate after successfully completing a 40-hour preparation course.

The Annual Report presents a review of the service operations, the aims that were reached in the past year and the way forward. “It is every child’s right to receive all the care and attention needed. Sadly, not all parents are in a position all the time to give children what they need. This is why we make it our duty to support an infrastructure like Home-Start which goes a long way in ensuring a continuous point of reference to vulnerable people,” said Josef Camilleri, Director of the HSBC Malta Foundation.

Addressing those present, Ms Gemma Mifsud Bonnici, Chairperson of the Vodafone Malta Foundation said that “the Home-Start Programme is proving to be very worthwhile as parents of very young children are being offered the necessary support, friendship and help to cope with will health, disability, poverty and other social issues. The Vodafone Malta Foundation takes to heart its commitment to alleviate the hardships members of our community face on daily basis and is happy that it can lend a hand by supporting Appogg in this endeavour”.

During yesterday’s event, Ms. Sina Bugeja, CEO of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, pointed out that the Foundation gives priority and importance to families especially those with young children. Through Home-Start, the Foundation reaches and helps families within their own environment, thus also minimising the risks of more complex social situations and crises from developing. Ms. Bugeja emphasised how the various entities involved could improve the service, especially based on what was highlighted in the report. Ms. Bugeja also thanked the sponsors of Home-Start Malta, Vodafone Malta Foundation and HSBC Malta Foundation, who year after year, have supported this service. Ms. Bugeja also thanked all the volunteers, for their commitment in helping families in need. She emphasised that their role entails responsibility and professionalism since they are the ones who are in direct contact with the families and thus are in a prime position to identify one’s needs, emerging problems, and be able to direct or refer accordingly.

Ms. Sina Bugeja – CEO Foundation for Social Welfare Services (middle), Ms. Gemma Mifsud Bonnici - Chairperson of Vodafone Malta Foundation (right), Mr. Josef Camilleri - Director of HSBC Malta Foundation (left), with other Vodafone, HSBC and Home-Start Malta representatives and committee members

Following the review of the report, a discussion was held between all stakeholders present, including representatives from the two main sponsors of the service, Mr. Josef Camilleri, on behalf of the HSBC Malta Foundation, and Ms. Gemma Mifsud Bonnici (Chairperson, Vodafone Malta Foundation), Ms. Sina Bugeja (CEO of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services), Ms. Yvonne Mallia (Appogg Operations Director), Ms. Catherine Fleri Soler (Chairperson, Home-Start Malta), Ms. Jacqueline Vella (Home-Start Malta Organiser) and Home-Start Malta management committee members. Following this discussion, Ms. Bugeja presented the certificates to the new Home-Start Malta volunteers, while the longest-serving Home-Start volunteer was recognised for her sterling service.

Addressing those present, Ms. Catherine Fleri Soler gave a review of the Annual Report, highlighting amongst other points, the need for this service to be extended beyond the localities it currently operates in, so as to reach out to as many families as possible. The Home-Start team has been seeing families blossoming and moving back on track with the care that Home-Start volunteers provide and it is this that gives the team more drive to deal with the various challenges presented.

Home-Start Malta has been running since February 2006 thanks to the collaboration of Agenzija Appogg and the two main funders, HSBC Malta Foundation and Vodafone Malta Foundation. This project supports families who have at least one child under the age of five who are experiencing some form of difficulty in child upbringing. Such difficulties could emanate from single parenting; isolated families; families with multiple births, and/or special needs; mothers who would be suffering from post-natal depression and health problems amongst others. Home-start volunteers are professionally trained and supervised, are parents themselves or have direct experience in parenting. The service started off in Cottonera and Kalkara, and so far has been extended also to Zabbar, Zejtun and Fgura.

For a copy of the annual report click here. Those who would like further information about Home-Start Malta could call on 21678043 or else send an email to home.start@maltanet.net. Further information could also be found on www.appogg.gov.mt.

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