Children, Schools and Families Volunteering Opportunities

1
Children, Schools and Families Volunteering
Opportunities
2
Volunteers in Children, Schools and Families

• Without the support of volunteers many of
  Children Schools and Families services would not
  be able to function as well as they do now
• In Cornwall many organisations public, private
  and voluntary, work together to help children for
  the best possible experiences and achieve to
  their full potential.  Volunteers are essential
  to all of our work and I would like to take this
  opportunity to express my continuing thanks and
  admiration for the work that they do.
• Trevor Doughty, Director

3
What is volunteering?

• an activity that involves spending time,
  unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the
  environment or individuals or groups
• The Volunteering Code of Good Practice, 2005

4
How does our work benefit from volunteers?

• Central to the ethos of our services
• Volunteers come with a wide range of skills and
  experiences
• Add a dimension to our work which isnt
  formalised, bring a freshness to the work
• Focus on individual clients or subject areas and
  thus bring new insights, energy and time to the
  work
• Communities benefit in that the services they
  provide help individuals 

5
What are the benefits for volunteers in our
service?

• A way back to the world of work- gain confidence,
  raise self esteem
• Learn new skills and add experience- develop and
  hone career skills
• Core workplace activities- communication, line
  management, teamwork and using initiative
• Adds a extra dimension to a CV
• Gain qualifications
• Meet new people, try new things
• Have some fun

6
Volunteering in Children, Schools and Families

• Large numbers of volunteers are actively involved
  in childrens centres and youth centres
• Many are actively engaged in commissioned work
  such as the Family Intervention Project and
  Homestart
• Key projects have engaged young people in
  volunteering and community action V Volunteers,
  V Talent, apprenticeship schemes
• Many parents and carers volunteer to engage in
  Parents Forums and advisory groups
• 90 volunteers involved in young peoples
  mentoring and counselling services

7
Life Stories from Children, Schools and Families

• An unemployed man volunteered at a childrens
  centre in 2009, through Volunteer Cornwall. He
  gained an L2 qualification in Early Years Care
  and Education in 2010, now works as a nursery
  assistant
• All Share IAG Coordinators started work as
  volunteers, all now paid and qualified to NVQ
• A young person leaving care had a child, they
  decided to volunteer at a youth centre, they
  became an apprentice, they have now completed
  their NVQ3
• A senior member in youth club who was lacking
  confidence was encouraged to volunteer 3 years
  ago, they now have an NVQ 3 in Youth Work and
  are now in their 1st year of study for a BA
  professional qualification

8
How do the people we work with feel?

• When I was young, my quality of life was
  improved immeasurably by youth work volunteers,
  so I think it's important that these services
  continue from generation to generation.

9
Cornwall Youth Offending Service (YOS)

• The YOS works with young people aged 10-17 to
  prevent re-offending and manage the delivery of
  court orders
• The service also includes prevention work and
  support for parents and carers
• Three volunteer roles
• Between 70-100 volunteers
• All volunteers attend general and role specific
  training, have one to one support and regular
  group meetings

10
Community Panel members

• Volunteers are statutory part of youth justice
  system
• Referral Order is the sentence young people
  receive the first time they appear in court (if
  they plead guilty)
• Panel members meet with young person and
  parent/carers to agree a contract to help them
  make amends and prevent re-offending

11
Appropriate Adults (AA)

• The YOS have a statutory duty to provide
  Appropriate Adult (AA) service
• Applies to young people aged 16 and under, where
  a parent and carer cannot be present
• AA attends custody centre to support young person
  during interview and ensure their rights are
  upheld
• Service provided 365 days of the year

12
Casework volunteers

• Work one to one with young people to complete
  reparation as part of their court order
• Provide transport, practical support and other
  help for the young person as directed by the case
  manager

13
Parent I feel the attitude of the panel had a
big part in the change in my sons behaviour
Young person I feel the panel really listened to
me, I was lucky, thanks, they put my life back on
track
Volunteer The young person just couldnt believe
it when he found out I was a volunteer, it really
impressed him that I actually cared enough to
give my time for free!
14
We depend on the work of our volunteers

• The part played by of our volunteers is an
  enormous asset to the work with children, young
  people and families. They add an extra dimension
  to our services and I readily acknowledge the
  immense value of their services, freely given.
• Sue Coleman, Head of Service, Supporting Families

15
Cornwall CouncilCounty HallTruro TR1 3AYTel
0300 1234 100www.cornwall.gov.uk