Family Support - Family Befriender (E) (Byker Community Family Hub, Newcastle upon Tyne) Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Job description
Barnardo’s is committed to providing ‘Better Outcomes for More Children’. Our children’s services volunteers help the charity to deliver essential services in local communities, providing support to over 300,000 children, young people and their families. This role provides a great opportunity to join our fantastic children’s services and help make a real difference. **Family Support Befrienders** work across a range of services, such as children’s centres, parenting services and Child Sexual Exploitation services, supporting children and families through challenging times in their lives. As a **Family Support Befriender**, you will be working with families on a one to one basis, to provide advice and guidance around a range of issues that the families may be experiencing. This includes support around parenting, managing their finances, household routines and accessing other specialist services in their community. Byker Community Family Hub is a busy Children’s Centre working with families, children and young people aged 0 – 19 years in the Byker and Walker areas of Newcastle. As a Family Support Volunteer you will be working with families, on a 1:1 basis, with support of our staff teams to provide advice and guidance around a range of issues that the families may be experiencing. We are looking for volunteers, with a passion for making a difference in families’ lives, with a friendly and approachable attitude and an ability to engage parents/carers and their children in targeted pieces of work, empowering them to take steps towards improving their situation.
Barnardo's protects, supports and nurtures the UK's most vulnerable children. Barnardo's helps bring out the best in children – no matter who they are or what they have been through. Our volunteers help make this happen.
- Tasks: Providing information, advice and support to individual families, to enable them to achieve the desired outcomes within their support plan.
Assisting families with managing their finances effectively, including budgeting, paying bills and shopping.
Assisting families with establishing healthy household, cooking and hygiene routines.
Encouraging positive relationships and communication between parents and their children.
Sharing knowledge and experience about parenting and managing a household, to provide positive solutions to difficult circumstances.
Establishing trusting relationships with parents facing difficulties managing their roles/lives.
Providing a listening ear and emotional support to families in problematic situations.
Where families need specialist support from other agencies, referring families onto other services within their local community.
Adhering to Barnardo's policies and procedures at all times, including Barnardo's: Safeguarding; Equality, Diversity and Inclusion; Health & Safety; Data Protection; Confidentiality; Recording policies and procedures.
Participating fully in training and supervision.
Volunteering within Barnardo's Basis and Values.
- Skills: Reliable, punctual and trustworthy.
Approachable and welcoming.
The ability to communicate and engage with children, young people and families.
Being non-judgmental and positive in their attitude to working with individuals from different backgrounds.
Having some knowledge and understanding of supporting parents and carers, and the issues faced by disadvantaged families.
Having personal experience with running a home and/or maintaining family routines.
The ability empathise with children, young people and families, who may be facing difficult times in their lives.
- Benefits: Full induction and training.
Other training opportunities relevant to the volunteer role.
Regular supervision and support.
Out of pocket expenses agreed in advance.
Access to the Barnardo’s internal vacancy listing.
Our volunteers tell us about lots of other benefits of volunteering including; experience of working with children, young people and families; experience for your CV; supporting your local community; meeting new people; increasing self-confidence; feeling like you are making a difference; improving your health and wellbeing; and a chance to contribute to a worthwhile children’s charity.
Disclaimer: We look to recruit a diverse range of volunteers. If your skills don't fit the role exactly, please do not let this put you off as we are able to be flexible with most of our roles. If you are unable to apply online through the link on this page, please contact the Barnardo's Volunteering Team on [email protected] or call us on 0208 498 7320
