Befriender (Children and young people with additional support needs-Dundee)

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.

The Dundee Child & Family Support Service adopts a whole family approach, taking into account each individual’s vulnerabilities and strengths to enable children and young people to achieve the best outcomes. The Dundee Service supports children and families experiencing disabilities and complex additional support needs; children at risk of being removed from home; children experiencing adverse childhood experiences (including trauma, bereavement and loss); neglect and abuse. We support children and young people up to the age of 18. We are looking for volunteers from 18+ to be able to provide 1:1 or 2:1 support (along with another volunteer or worker) to a child or young person once a week or once a fortnight for around 2 hours per session out and about in the community. The role can take place after school, early evening or at weekends. The purpose of the role will vary depending on why the match was identified but a volunteer could be linked with a child/young person with additional support needs or could be a sibling of the individual with the support need. The role could be to encourage the child/young person with new activities, to help them build relationships with peers, improve mental wellbeing and to build up their confidence. Activities could include going for walks, going to local parks, activities within the community, going swimming, dance groups and going to a café for a chat. Some befriender roles may also take place in a school setting during school hours to provide support in a classroom setting or over lunch time.

We are also looking for volunteers who have experience and knowledge in supporting children and young people with additional support needs and who may have knowledge with using Makaton. Previous experience is not essential with children and young people with additional support needs but for some of our roles previous experience would be much welcomed.

We also have some befriending opportunities to support parents 1:1 to be a listening ear to those caring for children and young people with additional support needs. We also have some roles that involve family support. This role will be about supporting a parent with a child/children being there as well. This role can take place during the day, after school or weekends depending on the support needed for parent/family.