We are looking for volunteers to support 2-4 hours per week: Groups and events for families Undertake weekly activities with a child or young person Offer support and encouragement to help a parent or carer Supporting a family in their local community to access resources Further Information For more information, please telephone Rachel Sweeney on 07384 806228 or e-mail rachel.sweeney@children1st.org.uk Job title: Family Wellbeing and Befriending Volunteer - East Ayrshire Closing date: 06/05/2023 12:00 Interview date: It is anticipated that interviews will be held on an ongoing basis If you would like to apply for this role please download and complete the application form, criminal convictions self-declaration and equal opportunities monitoring form and email them to volunteer@children1st.org.uk. We welcome and encourage applications from potential volunteers of all backgrounds, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, belief, disability, who reflect our values.

Helpline Volunteer - Children 1st Parentline Edinburgh Are you caring, non-judgmental, empathetic and passionate about supporting others? Can you commit to our training course and give a little of your time each week to support families across Scotland If so, please get in touch - we’d love to hear from you. What will I be doing? Volunteering for Children 1st Parentline is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of children and families across Scotland. Children 1st Parentline volunteers provide support to adults by phone, webchat and text offering a kind and skilled listening ear and time to talk about anything to do with children. They build supportive relationships and work alongside individuals to help them think through what will work best for their families, keeping children at the centre and being mindful of the challenges families face today. A caring, kind and non-judgemental response can make a real difference to someone who wants to talk. No previous experience or formal qualifications are necessary however good communication skills are essential to enable you to listen to and support those who contact Children 1st Parentline. You will become part of a friendly, supportive team where trained staff are always on hand to provide support and guidance. We provide a comprehensive introductory training course as well as ongoing support and opportunities to develop in the role. Volunteers are able to claim reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for travel and costs incurred as part of the volunteering role. The helpline is open Monday-Friday 9am-9pm and 9am-12 noon Saturday and Sunday throughout the year. We ask our volunteers to give a weekly commitment of around 4 hours and there are a range of options for days/times based at the Children 1st Edinburgh office. This is what some of our volunteers have said about volunteering with Children 1st Parentline: ‘Training to be a Children 1st Parentline call taker and all the subsequent time volunteering has really helped me build some skills which I wish I'd built years ago. Many of these I'd call 'life skills' which I can usefully apply in many different parts of my life.’ ‘If you feel that you may have been able to help someone - even in a very small way - it makes you feel that you are doing something positive in that person’s life.’ ‘No matter how many calls I have taken, I still find that there is no such thing as two that are identical. Every person is an individual with their own particular issues and this keeps you interested in the role.’ Training Our next training will start in January 2024 and will take place at our office at 83 Whitehouse Loan, Edinburgh, EH9 1AT. Further information We are holding an online information session for prospective volunteers on Weds 11th October from 6-7pm. This will provide the opportunity to meet members of the Children 1st Parentline team and to find out more about the volunteer role and the work of Parentline. If you would like to attend the information session or have any questions about the role please email Jude Wilson at volunteer@children1st.org.uk

Do you have experience of parenting and a caring and positive approach to working alongside children and families? If so, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you. Our Moray Family Wellbeing Service offers practical and emotional support to families going through tough times. Our rights based approach puts children and families at the centre. As a volunteer you will become part of our perinatal service which offers early help to families where parents have worries about their wellbeing in pregnancy and after their baby is born. You will become an important part of our team and your nurturing approach will allow parents to share how they are feeling, help you to connect babies and parents through play and to support families to get out and about in their local community. What will I be doing? Relationships are at the heart of everything we do and as a Perinatal Wellbeing Peer Buddy you will become a trusted person for a family and provide support that improves emotional wellbeing and reduces social isolation. How support is delivered is unique for each family and includes: • One to one support: this can involve visiting parents at home, meeting in the community or connecting on the phone or online. What you will do together will depend on the individual needs of the family and could include going for a walk, support to access activities in the community, encouraging play between parents and babies and much more. • Group work: supporting Children 1st staff with a range of groups providing support for parents and babies. We explore what will be the best fit for families, yourself and the service at interview and during training and induction. Further information We provide a comprehensive initial training course that will equip you with the skills and knowledge that you need. We are planning to start our next training in late Oct/early November (exact dates TBC). We also provide all of our volunteers with ongoing support and are able to reimburse reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for travel and costs incurred as part of the volunteering role. We ask volunteers to commit to giving a few hours a week for at least a year. If you would like to find out more about the role or have any questions please call Mandy Morrison on 01343 564170 or 07960 779913 or email mandy.morrison@children1st.org.uk

Family Wellbeing Befriending Volunteer - Edinburgh Would you like to support children, young people, and their families in Edinburgh? Children 1st works to keep children where they are safe, well and loved with their families and communities. This volunteering opportunity will be based within the Children 1st Edinburgh Family Wellbeing Service which supports children and young people across the city. The safety and wellbeing of children and young people is at the heart of what we do. Our work includes support for families who face a number of different barriers and challenges including: ethnically diverse backgrounds; money worries; children with additional support needs; children and parents affected by poor mental health, and families affected by domestic abuse. We take a strength-based approach to improve safety and wellbeing. Volunteering with the Edinburgh Family Wellbeing Service as a befriending volunteer will complement the support we provide to help reduce isolation and promote a sense of belonging by encouraging children and young people to engage with their wider community. What will I be doing We know that safe, supportive and trusting relationships are an essential part of building children’s confidence, resilience and wellbeing. As a befriending volunteer you will build a positive 1 to 1 relationship with the child or young person you are matched with. You will meet with them regularly and support them to take part in a range of activities within their community and to develop new interests and connections. What you do together will depend on the interests of the child and could include taking them to a local park, taking them to sports clubs, art and craft activities, attending events in the community, and much more. We aim to match volunteers and children based on shared interests wherever possible and we also take into account volunteers’ transport requirements. We will explore this with you at interview and during training and induction. Please see role description below for information about the role. Further Information We would love you to be part of the Children 1st team. We provide a comprehensive initial training course that will equip you with the skills and knowledge that you need. Our next training will run on the following dates: • Sun 5th Nov – 10.00am-4.30pm • Weds 8th Nov – 6.00pm-8.30pm • Weds 15th Nov - 6.00pm-8.30pm • Sun 19th Nov - 10.00am-4.30pm This training is being run in partnership with our East Lothian and Midlothian services and will take place at the Children 1st office at 83 Whitehouse Loan, Edinburgh, EH9 1AT. We cover reasonable travel expenses for those attending the training. We also provide all of our volunteers with ongoing support and are able to reimburse reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for travel and costs incurred as part of the volunteering role. We ask volunteers to commit to giving a few hours a week for at least a year. As the children we support attend school we are looking for volunteers with availability out with school hours and weekends. Interviews: We anticipate that interviews will take place from the w/b 12th September 2023. If you would like to find out more about the role or have any questions please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you. Contact Rebecca Gracher – rebecca.gracher@children1st.org.uk