1:1 Family Support Volunteer
FACES
Do you have a friendly and caring nature? Are you hoping to retrain after a break from work? Can you spare a few hours each week? Are you looking for a way to improve your self-confidence? Are you interested in a family support role? If you can answer YES to any of these questions, then we would love to hear from you! Our volunteers come from all walks of life and are highly valued for the unique skills and knowledge that they each bring to FACES.
FACES are always on the lookout for new volunteers to support families with children aged 0-19 and who are experiencing hardship due to various reasons including domestic abuse, mental health struggles or isolation. We welcome applications from ANYONE who takes an interest in our work and are particularly looking for male volunteers as well as anyone who can speak additional languages and those who have their own or who have had experience of working with children with SEND. The support our 1:1 volunteers provide may involve experiencing low-medium risk domestic abuse, practical and emotional support as well as support with child development. There is not a ‘typical’ family that FACES support. Our services are tailored to a family's individual requirements and circumstances. Our volunteers offer a minimum of 2 hours per week and an additional 1-2 hours for regular supervision with one of our family support practitioners. Supervisions are held every 6-8 weeks depending on the complexity of the family that they are supporting. Volunteers are carefully matched to families taking into consideration the level of support needed and other presenting factors such as transport requirements and accessibility. Whatever the situation, FACES assures that all of our volunteers are very well supported and we offer ongoing development training.
Administration,Advice, Information & Support,Art & Design,Befriending, Buddying & Mentoring,Community Work,Fundraising,Languages & Translation,Events & Stewarding,Support Work,General & Helping
Admin, Art & Craft, Basic IT skills - internet & email, Organising & Planning
There are no required skills needed for the role of 1:1 volunteer, but we do encourage applications from people who are parents themselves or from those who have experience of working with children. We provide a full training course which is delivered over 6 weeks and covers a variety of topics such as safeguarding, confidentiality and volunteer safety to fully prepare you for the role. We hold multiple courses throughout the year and we do try to make them as accessible as possible around other commitments that you may have. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome volunteers from all experiences and backgrounds.
Volunteering for FACES is a fantastic way to experience first-hand what is required when supporting families in crisis. Our volunteer programme offers anyone who is interested the opportunity to gain an insight into the world of volunteering and family support services which is a great way to find out if working within this industry is something that you could see yourself doing as a full-time career. FACES offers a 40-hour training course which is broken down into 6 weekly sessions prior to starting the role. The feedback that we receive from these training courses is always positive and our volunteers have often commented on how well prepared they felt following the training course and subsequent development training offered by us. Joining the volunteer training course also provides the opportunity to meet new, like-minded people. As well as the main training course and development training, our volunteers are offered regular supervisions with an experienced family support practitioner. These are held every 6-8 weeks, depending on the complexity of the support and circumstances of the family that you are supporting. Being able to put the FACES volunteer role and subsequent experience on your CV is well-regarded by potential employers, especially those who work within the family support and non-profit industries. FACES will be able to provide all volunteers with a reference, if needed, after completion of a minimum of 30 hours of volunteering.
There is not a set amount of hours of work required for the role of 1:1 volunteer however, applicants should be prepared to allow 2-3 hours per week for visits and associated admin and planned supervisions. The training course is 30 hours, spread over 6 weeks. All volunteers must be able to commit to these hours.
MK41 0PW
The role of 1:1 support volunteer is conducted in the families home. Our services cover all areas within Bedford Borough and volunteers are matched to families taking into consideration transport requirements. The training course is held at the Church Lane Community Centre, 147 Church Lane, MK41 0PW
The community centre is accessible by Bedford town centre bus numbers 10, 5 & 7. By car we are a short 9 minute drive from Bedford town centre and there is ample parking available at the front and rear of the building.
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