Would you like to befriend a child or young person in care and make a long-term friendship with them?
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Are you aged 21 or over?​
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Can you commit to volunteering for a minimum of 2 years?
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Do you have 2 to 4 hours spare a month, usually at weekends?
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If you answered yes, volunteering with Reconstruct as an Independent Visitor could be for you.
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An Independent Visitor is an adult volunteer who befriends a child or young person in care and develops a long-term, positive relationship with them. This may involve helping them explore new interests, develop skills and hobbies, or enjoy activities together such as going to the cinema, bowling, or simply taking a walk in the park.
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Each volunteer is carefully matched with a child or young person in their local area who shares similar interests, helping to build a meaningful and lasting friendship.
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As an Independent Visitor, you would spend approximately 2–4 hours each month with your matched child or young person, usually at weekends. We ask volunteers to commit for a minimum of two years to provide consistency and stability for the young person.
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We are currently searching for Independent Visitors in the following locations:
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Bristol (Recruitment on hold until Spring/Summer)
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Bedfordshire
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Berkshire
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Buckinghamshire
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Cambridgeshire
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Derbyshire
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East Sussex
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Gloucestershire
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Greater London
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Herefordshire
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Kent
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Leicestershire
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Lincolnshire
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Milton Keynes
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Newham
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Monmouthshire
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Northamptonshire
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Sefton
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Shropshire
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Surrey
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Tenbury Wells
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Tyne and Wear
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West Midlands
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Wiltshire
What do Independent Visitors Do?​
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Visit a child or young person once a month, usually on weekends
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Be a trusted adult who is independent of the local authority and available to listen
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Offer consistency and reliability, helping to develop a positive and trusting relationship over time.
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Support children and young people to try new activities, explore interests, and spend time away from their placement.
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Help build confidence, self-esteem, and resilience, while supporting positive mental health and encouraging social connections outside of the care system.
What skills and experience do you need?
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Interpersonal Skills – The ability to build rapport easily and engage positively with children and young people.
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Communication Skills – Strong verbal communication skills and the ability to complete basic written reports and records.
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Commitment – A willingness to commit to supporting a child or young person for a minimum of two years.
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Positive Role Model – The ability to act as a positive and reliable role model for a child or young person who may have experienced challenges in their life..
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Enhanced DBS Check – All volunteers are subject to safer recruitment checks and will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS check.
Volunteering with Reconstruct
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We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join us as Independent Visitors. Full training and ongoing support will be provided, and reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.
Benefits of the role include:
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Making a lasting positive difference to the life of a child or young person in care
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Sharing fun activities, interests, and creative hobbies
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Acting as a positive and consistent role model
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Building a long-term, trusting relationship
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Gaining experience of supporting a child or young person in care
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Receiving excellent training and support, and becoming part of an ethical and caring organisation
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Next Steps
Initial stage:
Please complete our short online application form and please detail which area you can volunteer within:​
Independent Visit or Volunteer Application Form
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Once we have received your application form, a member of our team will be in touch to either arrange an initial chat or to schedule an interview, depending on whether there are any questions about your application that we’d like to clarify beforehand.
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If both sides agree to proceed, the next steps include:
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A 60-minute interview via Microsoft Teams
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3-hour Safeguarding Training (online, refreshed every 2 years)
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IV Role Training (online)
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Completion of an Enhanced DBS check (we cover the cost)
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A final face-to-face sign-off meeting (approx. 60 mins) with a coordinator
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Once signed off, we will begin the process of matching you with a young person in your area. Please note that the matching process is dependent on the referrals we receive and the specific needs of the children and young people in our service.