Independent Visitor

Barnardo’s is committed to providing ‘Better Outcomes for More Children’. Our children’s services volunteers help the charity to deliver essential services in local communities, providing support to over 300,000 children, young people and their families. This role provides a great opportunity to join our fantastic children’s services and help make a real difference. Barnardo’s Independent Visitors support young people on a 1:1 basis, offering practical assistance and emotional support, to build their self-confidence, coping mechanisms and positive relationships. The work could be focused on a particular need, such as increasing self-confidence, or building independence skills. We are looking for volunteers with a passion for making a difference to young people’s lives, with a friendly and approachable attitude and an ability to engage young people, empowering them to take steps towards improving their situation and achieving their goals. What you will be doing? - Building positive relationships with children and young people by meeting with them regularly on a one-to-one basis. - Encouraging children and young people to access resources, groups and activities within their local community, such as after school activities, youth groups, and sports clubs. - Promoting and encouraging service users to make active choices and informed decisions. - Accompanying children and young people to attend meetings or attending on their behalf. - Providing emotional/moral support for children and young people, while maintaining an appropriate volunteer/service user rapport. If you would like to build lasting and positive memories with a young person over the next two years then this is the volunteering opportunity for you.
Barnardo's protects, supports and nurtures the UK's most vulnerable children. Barnardo's helps bring out the best in children - no matter who they are or what they have been through. Our volunteers help make this happen.- Tasks: Enabling a child or young person who is ‘looked after’ by the local authority, to have contact with someone independent of Social Services.
- Visiting, advising and befriending a ‘looked after’ child or young person placed in residential care or a foster home on a regular basis.
- Building an enduring trusting relationship over time by being a positive role model and participating in a range of activities with the child or young person to develop their emotional wellbeing, skills and interests.
- Supporting young people preparing to leave care to build the skills and confidence to live independently.
- Supporting health activities to foster better emotional health and wellbeing.
- Adhering to Barnardo's policies and procedures at all times, including Barnardo's: Safeguarding; Equality, Diversity and Inclusion; Health & Safety; Data Protection; Confidentiality; Recording policies and procedures.
- Participating fully in training and supervision.
- Volunteering within Barnardo's Values and Behaviours- Skills: Reliable, punctual and trustworthy.
- Approachable and welcoming.
- Friendly and enthusiastic with a sense of fun.
- The ability to act as a positive role model.
- Passion, enthusiasm, compassion, understanding and having an open minded approach.
- Preferably being a full driving licence holder with access to a car.- Benefits: Full induction and training.
- Other training opportunities relevant to the volunteer role.
- Regular supervision and support.
- Out of pocket expenses agreed in advance.
- Access to the Barnardo’s internal vacancy listing.
- Our volunteers tell us about lots of other benefits of volunteering including; experience of working with children, young people and families; experience for your CV; supporting your local community; meeting new people; increasing self-confidence; feeling like you are making a difference; improving your health and wellbeing; and a chance to contribute to a worthwhile children’s charity.