Role: CandYP Support Volunteer

Hours: Variable (approx 2-3 hours per week)

 
Children and Young People (CandYP) is one of our core programmes.

Volunteers learn about how the project is delivered, helping to prepare resources, complete assessment forms and support session planning and delivery. They often go on to deliver sessions independently.
  

The Role:

We recognise and value the diverse range of skills/experience that volunteers can bring to this much needed role which supports safe carers, children and young people as a family unit. 

Once trained, a CandYP support volunteer will be introduced to the safe carer and their child/children with the purpose of helping the practitioner with the delivery of the CandYP sessions.

CandYP support volunteers go through a recruitment process, complete a training course and be subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS check and references.
 

Primary Objective:

To provide emotional and practical support to families by helping with the delivery of the CandYP Project to children and their safe carer following their experiences of domestic abuse.
 

Duties and Responsibilities:

To undertake tasks as specified in this role description with guidance from a designated practitioner and the Business Services Manager.

• To initially shadow CandYP support sessions, developing an understanding of how the sessions are planned and delivered. Once you and the practitioner feel it is appropriate you can deliver sessions yourself under practitioner guidance.
• To assist in planning, discussing client needs and suitable activities/topics.
• To assist the practitioner as agreed during the session.
• To observe and record relevant information during the session and feed this back to the lead practitioner.
• To attend a de-brief following the session.
• If required, to keep case records updated on the Oasis database – including a summary of the session and dates for future sessions. Full training will be given on the Oasis system.
• To attend supervision and contribute as part of the team.
• To give feedback to staff as appropriate.
• To attend additional in-house and external training events for personal development, as agreed and appropriate.
• To respect and work within the organisation’s policies on equality and diversity, confidentiality and all other policies and procedures adopted by the organisation at all times.
• From time-to-time, to carry out additional tasks as agreed in advance as appropriate and within the boundaries of the Volunteer’s responsibility and capacity.
   

Skills Required (following completion of the volunteer training course):

• Ability to listen.
• Good literacy skills, i.e. to write and record case notes accurately.
• Ability to communicate effectively with children and young people and their safe carer from diverse and varied backgrounds.
• An understanding of effective ways to communicate and work with children, including the different ways children learn.
• A practical and fun attitude.
• Able to keep calm under pressure.
• An awareness of different effects of domestic abuse on children and their surviving parent.
• A non-judgmental and respectful approach.
• An understanding of appropriate boundaries and sharing personal views and information.
• An understanding of equal opportunities.
• An openness to learning, willing to self-evaluate and challenge.
• Some understanding of the issues of domestic abuse and how adult victims and children can be affected by this.
• A good understanding of the importance of safeguarding and confidentiality, including how to deal with disclosures.
     

Personal Circumstances: 

• To be able to commit to the whole CandYP process with your allocated family.
• To be able to attend a planning and preparation session with the lead practitioner, allowing time to read the case notes and assessment for the family.
• To commit to the weekly sessions. Sessions last an hour and will often take place at the client’s home or school so travel time will also be a consideration. Estimated weekly commitment of 3 hours for each family.
• To be available to complete our information and induction training session.
• To discuss availability and length of commitment openly and to keep the Business Services Manager updated with any changes in availability.
• To be able to attend monthly volunteer team meetings
• A commitment to personal development and to be able to attend supervision and relevant training courses.
• If using own transport to have appropriate insurance.
• Minimum aged 18.
• Whilst volunteering with us you will be exposed to information and experiences relating to domestic abuse, and safeguarding both you and our clients from additional trauma is our priority. With regards to this we must ask you to let us know if you have had any experience of domestic abuse either in the past or currently, and if you have received support around this. Please note that this will not necessarily prevent you from volunteering with Haven.

 

Click here to see other ways you can volunteer with Haven.