Community Befriender (Supporting families from Black, Asian and Mixed ethni

at  Barnardos

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. Barnardo’s Community Befrienders, work with vulnerable community members on a 1:1 basis, offering practical assistance and emotional support, to build their self-confidence, coping mechanisms and positive relationships. The work could be focused on a particular need, such as confidence building, or it could be more focused around practical task such as shopping and collecting medication. You may also be required to support with general community hub activities like group sessions and support community members to access local community groups. Do you have some free time to support families from Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnicity background through their pregnancy journey? We would love to hear from you. Mother United for Maternity and Mental Health Action (MUMMA Peterborough) are looking for volunteers with lived experience of health inequalities and will connect local communities with the Integrated Care Board (ICS). Our Community connectors will be representative of the diverse communities in the localities identified with highest levels of health inequalities. Connectors will have lived experience of health inequalities and act as a conduit between local communities. We are looking for volunteers to support with: • Working alongside Peer-Connectors in MUMMA and the Project Team to identify what information is needed by communities and produce the content for the information packs and workshops for the benefit of families in the community. • Helping families understand services available to them including, where appropriate, perinatal mental health services, and infant /parent relationship support. • Helping to raise awareness of health conditions and increase engagement by diverse communities with health and wellbeing services. • Provide feedback and experience of health inequalities to the Project Team and / or the wider ICS to inform the development of health services. • Signpost and connect parents to the perinatal mental health services and infant parent relationship support, proactively linking parents to services. • Deliver regular drop-in sessions and peers support opportunities, which are flexible to meet local needs. For example, times that are suitable for families (which will include evening and potentially some weekend delivery), and targeted sessions for underserved groups, such as foster carers, fathers or co-parents/carer. • Build on networks with organisations and groups working with families in order to increase the take up of service. • Support our work with key partners to promote perinatal mental health, attachment, and bonding. This includes specialist teams such as NWAFT Midwifery leads, Healthy Child Programme Teams (Health Visiting and Nursery Nurses) and specialist infant mental health and perinatal mental health teams. We look to recruit a diverse range of volunteers. However, for this particular opportunity, we are particularly looking for female individuals that are from the Black, Asiana and Mixed Ethnicity to reflect our service objectives We are looking for Community Volunteers who would love to give back to their local community, with excellent communication skills and the ability to support vulnerable service users with a wide range of tasks. For further information, please contact Ekeoma Nwajiuba ekeoma.nwajiuba@barnardos.org.uk 07871107182
Could you support a community member with everyday tasks such as buying and delivering groceries, picking up medication, running errands, or transporting them to medical appointments or helping with community group activities?
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Tasks: Supporting vulnerable community members with everyday tasks, such as buying and delivering their shopping, picking up medications and running errands.
Reducing isolation through befriending.
Transporting service users to pre-planned appointments (such as GP visits).
Helping at the community hub centres with general housekeeping, gardening and painting.
Assisting with community group activities.
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
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Skills: Reliable, punctual and trustworthy.
Approachable and welcoming.
Being non-judgmental and positive in their attitude to working with individuals from different backgrounds.
Being passionate about making a difference in the lives of vulnerable community members.
Good listening and communication skills.
The ability to manage and respond positively to challenging situations.
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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 volunteering@barnardos.org.uk or call us on 0208 498 732

Please refer the Job description for details