Feedback from families who have had befriending support tells us a Befriender can be life changing. A befriender can provide emotional support to help build positive relationships between parents and their baby and improve parents’ mental health. Accessing activities in the community, going for a walk, or talking over a cuppa are some of the ways in which a Befriender can make a real difference for parents and their babies. A Mum who used our service recently said “My befriender is like a wee rainbow coming in to make everything better”

As a volunteer befriender with our perinatal support project you will provide listening and emotional support to parents who are suffering with low to moderate mental health issues or are identified as vulnerable to developing mental health issues in the perinatal period. This support may be through telephone calls, home visits, group work or support to access other local services

To support the delivery of a wide range of child centred outdoor learning opportunities giving children, young people, and families the opportunity to connect with each other and with the natural world. To help the organisation provide opportunities for children and young people to succeed, building confidence, self -worth and self-belief. To help the organisation provide an inclusive service so that children and young people will have fun, stay safe, be inspired, and make friends; contributing to and providing them with life skills required to thrive in the modern world. To support the delivery and facilitation of a stimulating and innovative outdoor learning/play in the local community in East Kilbride and assist in the delivery of varied outdoor programmes. Main Duties: - Support the delivery of monthly outdoor learning & play programmes for families in the local community. - Facilitate freely chosen and self-directed play opportunities. - Work with the wider volunteer team to set-up and take-down of kit for each play session. - Encourage children to plan and choose the activities that they would like to do, enabling them to experiment and learn about themselves and the world around them, while allowing them to grow and take risks within the safety of the project. - Participate in the planning and organisation of activities for each session, including preparation and storage of kit and materials. - To support the supervision of participants at all times, making sure that safety procedures are followed conforming to the project’s Child Protection and Health & Safety policies and other relevant policies and complete any appropriate reports e.g. accident / incident forms. - Support in promoting good behaviour and dealing with any challenging behaviour in accordance with the projects policies and procedures. - Always ensure non-discriminatory practices – in line with the Equal Opportunities policy. - Assist in the preparation and clearing up of activities and work areas. - Support the promotion of the initiative and of the sessions. Personal Qualities & Skills: - Be kind, patient, respectful and able to work in a team. - Excellent communication skills with children and adults. - Ability to work in partnership with other organisations - Be organised and efficient. - Good team worker, self-motivated and passionate about providing play opportunities for children. - Able to use own initiative and be flexible in their approach. - Be able to work within the values-led ethos of the OutLET: Play Resource. - Adaptable to varied workload. - Willingness to work in all weathers and seasons. Desirable Skills & Experience - Experience of working with children, young people or families. - Experience in delivering outdoor programmes with children or young people. - An understanding of and passion for the principles of play and the role of adults. - An understanding of Forest School ethos and principles. A full clean driving licence and access to a car is ideal, but not essential

Volunteering Matters Overview At Volunteering Matters we believe everyone in the UK should have the opportunity to thrive, so we bring people together to overcome some of society’s most complex issues through the power of volunteering. We partner with communities to overcome adversity, tackling social isolation and loneliness, improving health, developing skills and opportunities. And because we’re a national charity, we do this at scale, sharing our expertise and building partnerships to make an even bigger impact. We turn local knowledge and energy into action and progress, building stronger communities and a better future for all. Project Overview Our Family Supporters in Edinburgh project offers practical and emotional support to families across the city of Edinburgh, empowering them to face a range of life challenges. We recruit, train and match dedicated, local volunteers to help families every step of the way, spending 1-1 time together on a personalised set of goals chosen by the family, for the family. We can help in many ways, such as improved living standards, budgeting, healthier eating, better school life and behaviour, access to health and wellbeing aid, as well as introducing parents to community resources, to name a few. So far, thousands of families across the UK have benefitted from our service and we are now delighted to extend the programmes reach to families in Edinburgh. Who can volunteer with us? Our volunteers are locally based people with an understanding of the challenges that families are facing. Aged 18+, each volunteer brings different life experiences and skills that they can use to help the family they are matched to, offering support on a weekly basis for an hour or so each week, usually for 6-9 months at a time that suits everyone. They build a strong relationship based on trust and mutual respect, acting as a friendly face who listens and cares about the family. All volunteers are interviewed, trained to the highest standards and undergo disclosure checks before being matched with a family. We also encourage and welcome volunteers who have the ability to speak multiple languages join our team! What can we offer volunteers? As well as the sense of achievement that comes through supporting a family, our volunteers will have the opportunity to learn and develop new skills, attend social events with other volunteers and enhance their employability. Certificates are provided upon completion of induction training and at the end of the commitment, with project staff happy to provide references for future studies or employment.