We are looking for Lead Volunteers and Helpers for after school support sessions for bereaved children. These sessions provide groups of children with a safe space to explore their grief in gentle, age-appropriate ways using craft, stories and games.
The sessions offer a light touch approach and are described as “friendly and fun.” They would follow the successful format that we already use in Swindon and Trowbridge.
We would like to run sessions in each location 4 times a year. Each after school session will last 1.5 hours and will be themed around topics related to bereavement – such as feelings, memories, or coping strategies.
Initially each session would be written by our staff team, with input from volunteers growing as their experience develops.
Parents and carers will attend the sessions and supervise their children at all times.
Below you will find further information on the Lead Volunteer and Volunteer Helper roles.
Lead volunteers - We would love to recruit lead volunteers who would take the lead in organising and running the sessions (at Chippenham or Devizes, or both).
Lead volunteers would be supported by a member of our staff team, initially in-person and eventually remotely as volunteers grow in confidence and are able to lead without our staff being present at each session.
This leading volunteer role would suit someone organised, with a qualification relating to working with children and at least 2 years experience of working directly with children and/or young people.
This role would require a time commitment of 1.5 hours for each session (4 times a year), plus 30min set up time and 30mins tidy up time per session.
Time would also be required to collect resources and go through the session plans, at a mutually agreed meeting place/time, and approximately 1 hour to write up the session.
No bereavement experience required, training and ongoing support will be provided.
Volunteer Helpers – volunteer helpers will be involved in delivering activities with children including crafts, stories and games that are designed to support children with their grief.
No experience necessary, training and ongoing support will be provided.
Both roles include building trusting relationships with families and encouraging them to take part in activities, as well as general tasks such as setting up, clearing up, and making refreshments.
All volunteers will work within our small, supportive team which consists of paid staff, volunteers and trustees all of whom are passionate about the work we do.
Volunteers should have an interest in working with children and families within a group setting, and have a deep empathy for supporting bereaved children.
All volunteers are subject to an enhanced DBS check, at the expense of the charity. Reasonable out of pocket expenses can be paid, for example reasonable travel costs.
You will need to be at least 18 years old to carry out this role.
Key Responsibilities:
- To work with service users (children and their parents/carers) at after school, group sessions
- To make service users feel welcome and comfortable
- To build trusting relationships with service users
- To encourage service users to take part in activities to the best of their abilities
- To support each child to explore their grief in a non-judgemental manner
- To help with general tasks such as setting up, tidying up and making refreshments
- To work within national and local Wiltshire Treehouse guidelines and policies ensuring that practice is standardised, ethical and safe. This includes child protection, complaints and grievance procedures
- To participate in supervision both individually and as part of the Treehouse volunteer team
Key Working Relationships:
- Children, young people and their families
- Wiltshire Treehouse Volunteers
- Wiltshire Treehouse colleagues
Skills and Experience:
Experience of working with children and families would be an advantage, as would an understanding of grief. However, this is not essential and training can be provided. We welcome applications from a range of backgrounds.
Some of the children who have used our service have identified the following qualities as important:
- · A good listener
- · Understanding
- · Accepting of the different ways people grieve