What skills and experience do I need?
The desirable and essential skills for each volunteering position vary, but most important is an interest in helping children.
One-to-one support worker
The support needs of the children and young people that attend NDCS events vary from event to event and child to child. We are looking for people with a variety of skills to fulfil these positions. One-to-one support worker is a challenging and rewarding role.
Working with children who have difficulty following the rules, those with behavioural problems, additional needs (such as ADHD, autism), disabilities (cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, physical impairments etc) or emotional difficulties (homesickness, shyness, low confidence). You may be asked to help a specific child at an event by:
- supporting children so that they integrate with the group
- explaining the rules in a way that they understand
- providing emotional support and reassurance where required.
Occasionally one-to-one support can include personal care. This may range from helping a child to put on cream to assisting with dressing, toileting etc. Please note that we would always ask support workers if they are happy to undertake this before agreeing to attend the event.
Essential abilities:
- An interest in working with children and young people.
- Willingness to work with individuals or small groups of children
Desirable abilities:
- BSL level 1 or above.
- Experience of working with children/young people with additional needs, disabilities or behavioural problems.
- Experience of providing personal care.
- Experience of behaviour management.
- Work as/training as support worker, learning support assistant, nurse, child minder etc.
TopGroup Supporters
Our group supporters are required at events to help supervise the children during activities and ensure they get the most out the event. We have both deaf and hearing volunteers at events and a typical event would require group supporters to assist with the following:
- Welcome children and families as they arrive at event
- Supervise small groups of children and young people during the activities. These may be outdoor (climbing, canoeing etc) sports or arts activities.
- Supervise small groups of children during breaks from the activities and moving between activities
- Ensure all children and young people understand any instructions This means working in partnership with other Group Supporters and Activity Centre staff/session supervisors.
- Encourage interaction between children and young people with varying communication choices.
- Ensure children and young people are safe, happy and adhering to NDCS codes of conduct.
Essential:
- BSL level 2 or above or equivalent (hearing volunteers only. Deaf volunteers do not have to have a BSL qualification)
- Interested in working with children and/or young people
Desirable:
- Experience of supporting communication in a small group situation
- Experience of working with children and/or young people
- Experience of working as part of an integrated deaf/hearing team
- Willingness to be flexible
- An interest in sports, arts and outdoor activities
- Willingness for deaf group supporters to act as a deaf role model
Family supporters
Family supporters are fully trained volunteers who are able to listen, provide support, information and advice to parents and carers of deaf children. Our family supporters will have a personal connection to deafness, usually the parent or family member of a deaf child or deaf themselves.
All family supporters undertake a comprehensive training program where they learn about NDCS, deafness & how to support families. In order to successfully complete the course they have to be able to show that they can give clear, balanced information and sensitive support to families. Family supporters are supported by two Family Network coordinators.
Role description:
- To provide information to families of deaf children on aspects of childhood deafness
- To offer emotional support to parents and families dealing with the challenges of deafness
- To keep up-to-date with issues affecting families of deaf children
- To attend at least one get-together or training event for Family Supporters each year
- To make contact with families as invited by the Family Network Co-ordinator
- To refer education, benefits and other types of ‘casework’ on to the Family Network Co-ordinator
- To promote the Society’s vision and values and policy of informed choice
Essential abilities :
- Parent or family member of a deaf child
- Good listening and interpersonal skills
- Fair, considerate and balanced
- Able to demonstrate deaf awareness and apply this to working practices
Desirable abilities :
- Hold a clean driving licence, preferably with use of a car
- Good literacy skills
- Good knowledge of local services in the field
- Experience of providing support to families
Helper
We ask helpers to completed their BSL Level 1 or be of an equivalent standard. Typical roles will include making tea, registering the children, directing parents and helping to tidy up. Some would say this is the most important role!
We may also ask helpers to supervise children on coaches, which is always greatly appreciated.
If none of these roles suit you
If you are more interested in local regular volunteer work, go back to the What our volunteers do page and contact a local group in your area.
Other organisations that may need volunteers
If this is still not what you are looking for these other organisations also have volunteering opportunities that my interest you.
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