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Children's Befriender

  • Positive Help
  • VO102769

Description

Do you enjoy spending time with children and helping them discover their confidence? As a Befriending Volunteer, you will spend 1:1 time with a child or young person aged between 5 and 18 who is affected by HIV or Hepatitis C and who could use a little extra support.
Many of the children we support have faced or continue to face Adverse Childhood Experiences that have affected their wellbeing, development, and communication. As a Befriending Volunteer, you will build a connection with a child or young person through fun activities such as visiting museums and galleries, taking part in sports, or exploring nature. You will support a child to develop their interests and hobbies and expand their horizons while creating a safe and supportive environment for them to express themselves.
Consistency is important for the children we support. We therefore ask our Befrienders to commit to a minimum of 1 year of volunteering in order to nurture feelings of trust and safety.

What You'll Do

• Communicate with Positive Help Staff about availability and arrangements for upcoming sessions.
• Send a Safeguarding message once you have picked the child up and dropped them at home.
• Research outings appropriate for the child’s age and needs and planning these sessions with them to ensure a collaborative approach.
• Build on the child or young person’s strengths, experiences, skills and talents.
• Support young people to cope with the challenges they face at home, school or in the community.
• Help to reinforce life skills, e.g. road safety or paying for bus fares and ordering food.
• Encourage the child or young person to contribute in positive ways in all settings.
• Help the child or young person recognise and value their own achievements and successes.
• Prioritise the needs of the child of young person and inform Positive Help if you have any concerns for them.
• Submit feedback and expenses after each outing.

Organisation aims and objectives

Positive Help offers practical help to people affected by HIV and/or Hepatitis C in Edinburgh and the Lothians. The four core services are delivered by a team of trained volunteers. The services provided include: Befriending for children and young people; Home Support (cleaning, de-cluttering, painting, DIY, gardening, and other domestic tasks); a free Transport service, which helps people to get to and from medical appointments as well as support groups or local supermarkets; and Study Buddies, a homework mentoring service for children.

Availability

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening

Frequency and commitment details

• Flexible, though a weekly commitment of a full or a half day is preferable. • Sessions take place during working hours Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.

Restrictions

Experience required: • Personal qualities: Empathy, patience, reliability, and a caring, non-judgmental attitude. • Skills: Good listening, timekeeping, and relationship-building abilities. • Commitment to values: Upholding Service Users’ confidentiality and maintaining boundaries.
Travel details: We offer full reimbursement of travel and other reasonable expenses.
Minimum age: 18

Support

Expenses paid: Yes
Expenses details: We offer full reimbursement of travel and other reasonable expenses.

Last updated 8 days ago

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