Description
Families First work with children and young people aged 5-16 years with additional support needs, and their families, living in rural north east Fife. Family Support Volunteers offer supportive, consistent relationships that provide companionship and new opportunities to the parents and carers who use the Family Support Service. Volunteers support the adults for a couple of hours a week, to help them manage the challenges they face in life, by spending time with them, to talk and listen and to help them work out what would improve their lives. Volunteers can offer support on an individual basis with a 1 on 1 match, or in their various group activities such as Thursday Lunch Groups. Volunteering usually takes place during the day when the children are at school.
Organisation aims and objectives
Families First is a very small independent charity working with children and their families aged 5 – 16 years who face significant challenges in life living in North East Fife. These challenges include Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD), various learning disabilities, social and emotional problems, mental health issues, caring responsibilities, being looked after away from their family, low self-esteem, medical problems and poverty. Isolation can be a significant challenge to the children we work with due to their personal circumstances and rural location. By supporting these children and their families we aim to: • Reduce isolation • Develop self-esteem • Improve social skills • Improve relationships All of the people we work with are referred to us by external statutory and voluntary agencies. We offer 3 core services - Family Support (adults), One-to-One Befriending (children) and Children's Group Work. Our overall objectives are to strengthen the social and emotional development of children, young people and their parents and carers; so they can become effective contributors to their communities. We do this in a number of ways, by providing opportunities for our service users to explore the challenges they face and gain new experiences in a safe environment with supportive staff and volunteers. In addition to one-to-one support and group work activities, we provide access to events throughout the year through our Family Support Service. These events give families a chance to spend time and have fun together, thus creating lasting memories with each other.
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2 hours on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
Frequency and commitment details
2 hours on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
Restrictions
Experience required: It is helpful for volunteers to be a positive role model for parents and carers by drawing on their own professional or personal experience and expertise. Volunteers should have personal qualities such as commitment, empathy, good listener, patient and reliability. We would like our Family Support Volunteers to share their skills and interests with the parents and carers who are very keen to learn new things.
Travel details: The Families First premises is Rose Lane Centre, 2 Rose Lane, c/o 132 South Street, St Andrews KY16 9EW. If a volunteer is meeting an individual 1to1, the arrangements for this will be agreed later.
Minimum age: 18
Support
Expenses paid: Yes
Expenses details: If you take public transport to go to their centre to undertake your volunteering role, fares are reimbursed. Mileage is reimbursed at 45p per mile.
Training details: Those wishing to volunteer must undergo Families First training which includes one day of training, one induction evening and Family Support specific training. The All-Day training includes modules such as Child and Adult Protection and Managing Behaviour, and the induction evening introduces relevant policies and procedures, such as Health and Safety. Volunteers will have a supervisor available during sessions, answer any queries and conduct briefs and debriefs before and after sessions. All volunteers meet with the Volunteer Coordinator for formal supervision, and this is their regular contact. Regular training opportunities from external agencies are also advertised to all volunteers.
Support:
Named Contact For Volunteer