Volunteering in Havering

Description:

The Independent Visitors programme offers every child and young person in care a regular befriender to provide consistent support to listen to their thoughts and feelings, and to take part in a range of activities/trips together.

The Early Help Service is looking for volunteers who are passionate about supporting children in care, and can communicate effectively and confidently with young people. Due to the nature of the role, volunteers will to take part in background checks (including a Disclosure & Barring Service enhanced check), attend four sessions of training and offer their commitment to a young person for up to 18 months. Volunteers will need to be over 18 years old.

This role includes:

• Attending an initial matching meeting with a young person
• Committing to 18 months of befriending with a child or young person
• Meeting a young person every 3-4 weeks
• Providing brief recording following meetings to the Volunteer Team
• Taking part in activities with a child or young person
• Acting in the best interests of a child or young person
• Attending one to one supervision on a three monthly basis

Organisation:

The Early Help Service aims to support families, children and young people with access to the right resources at the right time, promoting safety, sustainability and independence. It operates within Children’s Services for the London Borough of Havering.

When and Where Required:

This opportunity is available across Havering and will take place in the community every month. There is a possibility for out-of-borough travel based on the locations of each young person. Please note that this is considered within the needs of each volunteer.

Skills and Qualifications:

We do not ask that volunteers have any qualifications, just a commitment to provide the best service for young people in Havering, although experience of working with children or young people in any capacity is useful.

-        Confident and able to communicate well with young people from a range of different backgrounds

-        Can engage with staff and partners to promote the aims and quality of the Early Help Service, and comply with relevant policies and procedures

-        Commitment to act in the best interests of young people and comply with jointly-agreed plans

-        Experience of working with children or young people, in any capacity

-        Willing to undertake training where necessary

Specific Role Requirements:

Age:  Volunteers must be at least 18 years old

Disabled Access: Yes – at children’s centres

Equal Opportunities Policy: Yes

Expenses: Yes, for travel and activity costs

Induction: A full induction is provided to enable each volunteer to be trained and prepared for their role. 

The training will cover safeguarding, safety, communication skills, non-judgmental practice, setting goals and motivating young people, and the role of the Independent Visitor.  Our training programme runs over four weeks (one evening per week) from 6 – 8pm.

Insurance Cover: Public Liability and Professional Indemnity

To apply for the role please contact:

Earlyhelpvolunteer@havering.gov.uk

Description of role:

Havering Young People’s Mentoring Service provides support, advice and guidance to young people aged 10-18, encouraging them to make positive life choices and achieve their goals.

Mentors are matched with a young person and meet with them on a weekly basis, for a period of up to 6 months. During this time, a strong relationship is built through a variety of activities in the community, including a monthly group meeting with other volunteers and young people engaged in the service.

In order to become a mentor, potential volunteers will be required to attend four training sessions before being accepted onto the programme. Volunteers will need to be over 18 years old and be willing to undergo an enhanced DBS check and provide two referees.

This role includes:

-        Attending an initial matching meeting with a young person

-        Committing to 6 months of mentoring a young person

-        Meeting a young person once a week for around 2 hours

-        Providing brief recording following meetings to the Volunteer Team

-        Supporting a young person to review their goals and plan for mentoring

-        Accompanying a young person to monthly group meetings (this is not required every month)

-        Acting in the best interests of a young person

-        Attending one to one supervision on a bi-monthly basis

Organisation:

The Early Help Service aims to support families, children and young people with access to the right resources at the right time, promoting safety, sustainability and independence. It operates within Children’s Services for the London Borough of Havering.

When and Where Required:

This opportunity is available across Havering and will take place in the community. The Volunteering Team will run some activities from one of our children’s centres in Rainham, Elm Park, Romford, Collier Row and Harold Hill.

Mentors will commit to 6 months with a young person, meeting them weekly for around 2 hours at a time.

Skills and Qualifications:

-         Confident and able to communicate well with young people from a range of different backgrounds

-         Can engage with staff and partners to promote the aims and quality of the Early Help Service, and comply with relevant policies and procedures

-         Commitment to act in the best interests of young people and comply with jointly-agreed plans and safeguarding policies.

-         Experience of supporting children or young people, in any capacity (personal or professional)

-         Willing to undertake training where necessary

-        Enthusiasm and commitment towards child development and keeping children safe

Specific Role Requirements:

Age:  Volunteers must be at least 18 years old

Disabled Access: Yes – at children’s centres

Equal Opportunities Policy: Yes

Expenses: Yes, for travel and activity costs

Induction: A full induction is provided to enable each volunteer to be trained and prepared for their role.  This will cover safeguarding, safety, communication skills, non-judgmental practice, setting goals and motivating young people. Our training programme runs over four weeks (one evening per week) from 6 – 8pm.

Insurance Cover: Public Liability and Professional Indemnity

To apply for the role please contact:

Earlyhelpvolunteer@havering.gov.uk

Description:

Havering Children’s Services offer support to families across Havering in many ways, including the Early Help Service parenting courses. Within the Early Help Service sits the Empowering Parents Empowering Communities Hub which trains parent volunteers to co-facilitate the: Being a Parent and Living with Teenagers courses.

Duties include:

-        Complete 10-week Parent Group Leader Training

-        1-hour Weekly Session planning with co-facilitator

-        30 mins before and after session for setting up/ clearing away

-        2 hours weekly session

-        1-hour fortnightly supervision

-        Attend two Early Help Volunteer Service Supervisions each year

Organisation:

The Early Help Service aims to support families, children and young people with access to the right resources at the right time, promoting safety, sustainability and independence. The Service provides this through Family Support Workers, activities and group work, specialist advisers in the areas of Housing, Employment, Domestic Violence, Mental Health and Volunteering, and teams dedicated to the under-12s and the over-12s (including the Youth Engagement Service).

When and Where Required:

Varying Locations across Havering

4 hours per week (+1-hour fortnightly supervision) when co-facilitating 8-week course.

Skills and Qualifications:

-        Essential: Experience of being a parent or carer

-        Confident approach to providing the right kind of support to families

-        Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively, with families, fellow volunteers and staff

-        Dedication to work with Early Help staff to deliver a customer-focused, quality and professional service

-        Enthusiasm and commitment towards child development and keeping children safe

-        Ability to work well within a team

-        Desirable: Relevant qualification

Areas of Interest:

Families, Family support, Parental Strategies, Behaviour Management, Communication Styles, Strengthening Family Relationships, Children, Young People.

Types of Activity:

Facilitating a Parent group, Signposting, Record keeping, Planning (course manuals provided).

Specific Role Requirements:

Dependents: Must be a parent, carer or grandparent

Age:  Volunteers must be at least 18 years old

Disabled Access: Yes – at children’s centres, not always at other community settings

Equal Opportunities Policy: Yes

Expenses: Yes, for travel

Induction: A full induction is provided to enable each volunteer to be trained and prepared for their role

Training:  10-week training program held during term time although times vary, however each session is 4 hours per week.  Participants also need to complete a reflective journal which will form part of your accreditation to be a parent group leader.

Insurance Cover: Public Liability and Professional Indemnity

To apply for the role please contact:

Email: EPEC@havering.gov.uk

Description:

Children's Centres provide a range of support services to Havering children and their families, including free groups and activities. The Early Help Service is looking for enthusiastic, passionate and dedicated volunteers to support us in the running of our parent and child activities across the borough.

This opportunity includes:

-        Engaging with children aged 0-5 years and their families

-        Encouraging children’s learning through social, physical and educational play

-        Supporting with the setting-up of groups and activities

-        Planning of Early Years Foundation Stages play-based activities

-        Delivering and supervising activities

-        Contributing to the evaluation of children’s centre activities, to ensure we are providing a great service

-        Signposting parents to other local services

Organisation:

The Early Help Service aims to support families, children and young people with access to the right resources at the right time, promoting safety, sustainability and independence. The Service provides this through children’s centre groups and activities, parenting support, and teams dedicated to whole family work.

When and Where Required:

Volunteers are needed once a week for 3 hours, although there is the opportunity to commit to more hours.

At the following children’s centres:

Rainham Village Children’s Centre

Upminster Road South, Rainham RM13 9AA

Elm Park Children’s Centre

Diban Avenue, Hornchurch RM12 4YH

St Kilda’s Children’s Centre

90 Eastern Road, Romford RM1 3QA

Collier Row Children’s Centre

Clockhouse Lane, Collier Row RM5 3QJ

Skills required:

-        Experience of engaging with children or young people in any capacity (personally, professionally or as a volunteer)

-        Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with all users of the children’s centres

-        Dedication to work with Early Help staff to deliver a customer-focused, quality and professional service

-        Enthusiasm and commitment towards child development and keeping children safe

-        Ability to work well within a team

Specific Role Requirements:

Age:  Volunteers must be at least 18 years old

Disabled Access: Yes

Equal Opportunities Policy: Yes

Expenses: Yes, for travel

Induction: A full induction is provided to enable each volunteer to be trained and prepared for their role.  Training will be held over two consecutive weeks (4 hours per week)  from 10am until 2pm.

Training: The training programme will cover safeguarding and child protection, child development, the importance of play, and planning activities.

Insurance Cover: Public Liability and Professional Indemnity

To apply for the role please contact:

Earlyhelpvolunteer@havering.gov.uk

Description:

The Youth Justice Service is based at Hedley Close, Romford, and offers a range of support, interventions and activities to young people who are involved in offending. Volunteers are needed to facilitate and chair the Community Referral Panels, which support young people and their families throughout their Referral Order.

Each panels requires two volunteers from the local area who will meet with the young person (on a Referral Order) who has offended (and parents or carers where relevant), and facilitate a restorative justice process. They will help to produce a contract with the young person that would provide

a) Reparation to the victim and/or the wider community and b) A programme of interventions, organised by the YOT, which addresses the factors likely to be associated with any reoffending.

When and Where Required:

We would anticipate volunteers to be able to be available between two & three evenings per month at Hedley Close, Romford RM1 1AH

Support:

All volunteer panel members will receive training in how to facilitate panels and Restorative Justice. There may also be additional and/or refresher training during their time, as well as one to one support. Various subjects may be appropriate for training (for example, working with children who have committed sexual offences or children with serious mental health problems).

Skills of Panel Members:

• Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with young people, some of whom may display challenging behaviours
• Dedication to work with the Youth Offending Service staff to deliver a customer-focused, quality and professional service
• Ability to work well within a team
• Able to show respect & work with young people in a non-judgmental and anti-discriminatory way
• Desirable: Experience of caring for or working with young people

Specific Role Requirements:

Age:  Volunteers will need to be at least 18 years old

Disabled Access: Yes

Equal & Diversity Opportunities Policy: Yes - Participation in youth offender panels are open to all, regardless of age, ethnic or racial origin, gender, sexual orientation, social background, religion, disability or any other irrelevant factor.

Induction & Training: An induction is provided to enable each volunteer to be trained and prepared for their role. Around four days of training will be provided to be certified & equipped for the role, which will be run at flexible times.

Insurance Cover: Public Liability and Professional Indemnity

Enhanced DBS Required

Contact Information:

Earlyhelpvolunteer@havering.gov.uk