About this role
As a volunteer within a SEND Family Support Service you will be supporting families to overcome the complex challenges they face. You will help families to access the support they need to maintain resilience, empowering them to seek the appropriate care and access support that is responsive to their children and young people’s needs.
What is the time commitment?
This role is for 3 hours per week approximately. Minimum commitment for 12 months.
Who will you be helping?
Children, Families, Individuals or families living with additional needs, Parents
Families with children and young people who identify as having additional needs can find aspects of life complex and challenging. Families often find themselves stressed and isolated as they seek to access or provide adequate levels of support whilst attempting to meet the needs of all family members.
Families who have access to practical tools, information and peer support find that they are better able to support their children and young people.
Our volunteers can help to empower parents to continue on a positive journey with their child/young person and provide emotional and practical support.
What difference will you make?
Volunteers within our SEND family support services fulfil a number of roles. Exactly what you do will depend on your skills and experience, and the needs of your local service.
You may help out at coffee mornings or events, talking to families and taking enquiries; you might be taking telephone calls from families and signposting to information.
You may attend regular parent support groups to offer practical advice and emotional support. Encouraging parents to share experiences and support each other can have a positive impact on the parent’s wellbeing by making them feel less isolated.
You could be involved in delivering short training sessions providing practical strategies in understanding and supporting a child or young person with additional needs.
You could become a befriender to our parents, encouraging them to re-connect with the community, supporting them to access other relevant services and overcome their challenges to build on a positive future.
Whatever your preferred role within the service, you will be making a real difference to families in your community.
Befrienders in the Small Steps service provide support to parents whose children are pre or post diagnosis of ASC or ADHD across Medway, Kent.
Who are we looking for?
There is no typical Family Action volunteer. We want our volunteers to be as diverse as the people we support. We need volunteers with a range of life experiences, skills and knowledge. In return for giving your time and talents, you will receive quality training, ongoing support, and the reward of knowing that you are making a real difference. This role will particularly suit volunteers who:
- Have some knowledge of and understanding or experience of neurodiversities including autism and/or ADHD.
- Can demonstrate a non-judgemental approach to others
- Are Empathetic and good listeners
- Have good relationship building skills
- Feel confident in new situations
- Have an awareness of the need for professional boundaries
What's in it for you?
Family Action volunteers tell us that volunteering with us can be challenging at times, but it is also very rewarding. Many of our volunteers also report that they have enjoyed:
- Becoming a part of Family Action, a national charity with over 150 years of experience supporting families
- Meeting new people and being part of a team
- Connecting with and making a difference to the lives of people in your community
- Regular training and development opportunities
- The opportunity to improve future employment prospects
- Developing new skills; increased confidence and self-esteem
- Support and guidance from a dedicated mentor.
All Family Action volunteers receive full training and access to ongoing supervision and support as long as they are in the role.
How can you find out more?
You may like to chat with a member of staff about whether this is the right role for you, or you may be ready to apply right now.
Either way, just click the ‘I’m interested’ button below to leave your contact details, and a member of staff will be in touch to discuss your next steps in becoming a Family Action volunteer.
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