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. Our **Childhood Health Programme Assistants** support the delivery of important Childhood Health programmes within various health and community settings. The role involves: setting up in advance of clinics/sessions; providing a warm welcome for children and young people; providing support to individuals during appointments in response to need, and tidying away/cleaning equipment afterwards. Volunteers may also be involved in promoting Childhood Health programmes at events. We are looking for compassionate, committed and enthusiastic volunteers, who can volunteer their time on a regular basis, to provide comfort and reassurance to children and young people in situations that may be stressful for them. If you have a calm and patient disposition, and the ability to relate to children and young people, we would love you to join our team. In the **Barking & Dagenham 0-19 service**, you could support in one or more of the following: You could support Community Nursery Nurses to deliver elements of the Healthy Child Programme, volunteering alongside a very skilled and professional team, helping to share information around healthy eatings, toilet training, parenting and early play. You could support within the baby weighing clinic sessions, speaking to the parents and offering signposting opportunities. Positive engagement with families is importnant, confirming how great they are doing with their child/ren. You will also be sharing your own local knowledge with families. You could support the Health Review Stay Play and Learn sessions within Barking and Dagenham. This involves setting up play stations and encouraging the children to play alongside their parents. You will offer reassurance and signposting to local groups. We have regular clinics that you could support, eg weekly or fortnightly, as well as ad hoc drop in sessions you could sign up to support. You will be making a difference to families by sharing local knowledge, signposting to services, offering a personal approach to health care services, sharing peer support and understanding.
Could you support our Health team in community settings, creating a welcoming environment for children & young people, to ensure they feel comfortable during their appointment?
Tasks: Supporting with the delivery of childhood Health programmes on a regular basis, such as the ‘Hearing Screening Programme’ and ‘National Childhood Measure Programme’.
Attending clinics within community settings, such as schools, health settings, childcare premises and family centres.
Creating a welcoming environment for children & young people, which makes them feel at ease and comfortable. This includes: meeting and greeting children and young people; escorting children to and from classrooms or waiting areas.
Being a friendly face, by reassuring children and young people about any health procedures carried out as part of the programmes, such as hearing tests, height and weight measurements, immunisations.
Helping children & young people who may need extra support, for example with putting their shoes on and off, removing additional layers of clothing, rolling their sleeves up.
Reassuring children and young people who are anxious about their treatments, by providing one-to-one encouragement and reassurance during any procedures and providing after care where necessary.
Assisting professionals such as Health Care Support Workers or School Health Nursing staff, with setting up, cleaning and clearing away any equipment before/after the sessions.
Willing to volunteer within different locations within the community and be able to travel independently to various venues.
Assisting with keeping accurate records in relation to the delivery of health programmes.
Supporting with community events to promote childhood Health Programmes, by distributing promotional materials, representing the programmes at events and signposting to other agencies (where appropriate).
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: The ability to communicate and engage with children & young people.
Approachable and welcoming.
Non judgemental.
Reliable, punctual, and trustworthy.
Enthusiasm, patience, understanding and an open-minded approach.
An understanding of the importance of Safeguarding and confidentiality within healthcare settings, although induction training will be provided.
Ability to work with/support other professionals as part of a team.
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.
Disclaimer: We look to recruit a diverse range of volunteers. If your skills don't fit the role exactly, please do not let this put you off as we are able to be flexible with most of our roles. If you are unable to apply online through the link on this page, please contact the Barnardo's Volunteering Team on
[email protected] or call us on 0208 498 7320
