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?
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Would you like to befriend a child or young person in care and make a long-term friendship with them?
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If yes, then volunteering for Reconstruct may suit you.
An Independent Visitor is an adult volunteer who befriends a young person in care and develops a long-term friendship with them. This often involves helping young people develop new interests, skills and hobbies or going on outings such as to the cinema, bowling or just a walk in the park.
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You must be 21+, available for flexible working and able to commit to a minimum of 2 years. As a volunteer, you would spend about 2-4 hours every month with your allocated child.
Each volunteer is carefully matched with a child or young person in care in their local area who shares similar interests.
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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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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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Monmouthshire
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Northamptonshire
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Rhondda Cynon Taf
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Shropshire
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Surrey
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Tenbury Wells
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Truro
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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 to befriend them
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Provide Children in Care with someone to talk to who is independent of the local authority
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Provide a consistent and reliable adult with a view to building a trusting and positive relationship with the child
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Provide a child with the opportunity to try new activities and spend time with them away from their placement. This in turn can enhance progress and resilience of children, by building self-esteem, strengthening mental health and opening new social relationships outside of the care system.
What skills and experience do you need?
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Interpersonal Skills – Ability to easily build rapport an identify with children and young people
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Communication – Excellent communication skills, good report writing skills
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Committed – Willing to commit to a child for at least one year and preferably two years
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Role Model – A good role model for a child or young person who may have experienced difficult times during their childhood
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DBS Check – We will carry out safer recruitment checks and you will be required to have an Enhanced DBS check
An Independent Visitor is an adult volunteer who befriends a young person in care and develops a long-term friendship with them. This often involves helping young people develop new interests, skills and hobbies or going on outings such as to the cinema, bowling or just a walk in the park.
​
Each volunteer is carefully matched with a child or young person in care in their local area who shares similar interests.
Remuneration
We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our team as an Independent Visitor. Full training and support will be given, and expenses reimbursed.
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Other benefits of the role include:
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Make a lasting difference to the life of a child or young person
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Share fun activities and creative hobbies with a young person
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Be a positive role model
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Develop a long term trusting relationship
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Gain experience of working with a young person in care
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Excellent training, support and being part of an ethical and caring organisation
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You must be 21+, available for flexible working and able to commit to a minimum of 2 years. As a volunteer, you would spend about 2-4 hours every month with your allocated child.
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​As part of the recruitment process, candidates will be required to attend necessary training for the role. Interviews will be arranged in due course thereafter.
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)
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3-hour IV Role Training (online, refreshed every 2 years)
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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.