You will be joining Butterflies Haven at an exciting time of growth and development for the charity. We are building on strong foundations, and our plans for the future are being developed by a passionate group of staff, volunteers and trustees.
We are particularly looking for volunteers aged 18+ to support our Monday evening sessions for 12–18-year-olds, although we are also seeking volunteers for our Friday evening sessions for 3-11 year olds. Our ambition is to have a strong team of volunteers, with various roles, supported by our Session Co-ordinators, as we look to maximise our impact on the local community and continue to facilitate and deliver the regular Butterflies Haven sessions to a high standard. As part of Butterflies Haven, you will be crucial in continuing our ethos of supporting children and young people, and their families, as well as being an important part of our team.
About Butterflies Haven
Butterflies Haven is a charity based in Keynsham between Bristol and Bath. We have created a caring community that offers support and social opportunities for children, young people and their families who are living with Autism or any developmental delay, whether diagnosed or not.
What We Can Offer You
At Butterflies Haven, we want our team to feel valued and important to the organisation. To demonstrate our dedication to this, we offer a variety of training opportunities, financial support with reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, regular reviews to keep you up to date with any changes in the charity. Reviews will also be an opportunity for us to talk constructively about your involvement with the charity and any issues either of us may be experiencing. If your child/children are living with autism, they can also attend the sessions for free.
Key Information
Location: Keynsham, sessions are primarily held at St Francis Church Hall
Status: Session Volunteer
Hours: Sessions run during term time Mondays (6pm-9pm) and Fridays (4.45pm-8pm), with occasional sessions on Tuesday evenings. Other times as agreed with the team.
The Roles
Setting up, packing away, supporting individuals to access activities is required at sessions. Keeping storage areas tidy and other preparation and planning for sessions as requested by the Session Co-ordinators.
You Will
- Support the Session Co-ordinators to facilitate and deliver a successful programme of weekly sessions for young people aged 3-18.
- Develop positive relationships with the Session Co-ordinators and other volunteers, understanding appropriate roles and tasks you can assist with.
- Assist the Session Co-ordinators to prepare for sessions, including setting up, packing away and cleaning up.
- Provide as much notice as possible if you are unable to fulfil your volunteering commitment, or if you no longer wish to volunteer.
- Develop positive, professional relationships with young people and help identify their individual social and informal educational needs.
- Have a duty of care for the safeguarding of and welfare of young people attending the sessions.
- Report any safeguarding / child protection concerns to a Session Co-ordinator who will then pass this on to the Designated Safeguarding Officer.
- Have the opportunity to attend fund raising events, or social events, outside of regular sessions times
- Report any issues, including health and safety issues, to the Session Co-ordinator as they arise.
- Act as an ambassador for the charity.
- Have an awareness of our policies and procedures.
About You
- A willingness to undertake training to develop your skills and help you get the most from your volunteering experience.
- The ability to develop and sustain strong, effective professional relationships with the rest of the team.
- Enthusiasm for supporting young people’s personal growth and development.
- Effective communication, organisational and time management skills, demonstrating reliability and commitment to the role.
- A non-discriminatory approach to others. Including those with protected characteristics, fostering diversity and promoting equality of opportunity.
- For those volunteering at sessions:
- Ability to form and sustain positive relationships with young people and effectively communicate with them
- An understanding of the opportunities and challenges young people face when living with autism or developmental delay.
- An understanding of safeguarding and child protection within the context of youth work.
- Experience of supporting young people with challenging behaviours is desirable.
We Will
- Treat you with respect, consideration and appreciation.
- Ensure you have a clear idea of your responsibilities whilst volunteering, you will be properly inducted into your role.
- Provide access to relevant training and personal development opportunities to help you carry out your role.
- Offer you fair, honest and timely feedback on your contribution.
- Provide you with support through regular meetings or discussions, appropriate to your individual needs, abilities and skills.
- Reimburse you for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred whilst volunteering with us, expenses must be discussed and agreed with the Session Co-ordinator in advance.
Safeguarding Statement
Safeguarding is central to all the charity's activities - the welfare of all children, young people and adults-at-risk, is paramount and all have equal rights of protection. The successful applicant will be required to complete an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check which the organisation will fund. Please let us know if you have a DBS which is registered with the Update Service as this will speed up the process: https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service