Children's Activity Support - Group Helper (Isle of Wight Young Carers 5 to 18 years old)

Barnardo's is committed to providing 'Better Outcomes for More Children'. Our children's services volunteers help the charity to deliver essential services in local communities, providing support to over 300,000 children, young people and their families. This role provides a great opportunity to join our fantastic children's services and help make a real difference.

Barnardo's offers support and help to Young Carers and their families living on the Isle of Wight. Young carers are children and young people aged 5 to 18 whose lives are affected by caring for an unwell member of their family. They care for a relative who may have a physical or learning disability, a long-term illness, a terminal condition, mental illness, or difficulties with drug or alcohol use. Caring may be physical, emotional, or both. Local Young Carers have created a stop motion video The A-Z of being a Young Carer to help people understand a little more about what it is like to walk in their shoes. Funded by #iWill

Young Carers are proud of the help that they give and the skills they have, but caring can also have an impact on going to school and getting homework done, taking part in after school groups and clubs, being able to see their friends and do hobbies, and on their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Through our Young Carers Project, we make sure that the right support is in place for young carers, including: • Activities and outings to give a break from caring responsibilities • One-to-one practical and emotional support • Working with schools about how to support Young Carers and their families • Signposting to other support • Support for a Young Carer's transition to be a Young Adult Carer

As part of the Project, we ask children and young people about what activities they would like to try, and we plan and run a range of different activities that offer regular, positive, fun experiences that give Young Carers the opportunities to relax and meet other children and young people in a similar situation, make friends and give them a meaningful break from their caring responsibilities.

We are looking for enthusiastic and caring volunteers to help us run these activities, which can be anything from arts and crafts, cooking, walks, bowling and sometimes more energetic sports and even horse riding! To do this role you need to be confident to join in activities and support children and young people to get involved and take part. You will help Barnardo's staff to set up and run activities and make sure that Young Carers feel safe and welcomed at all times. You can chose which activities you would like to support. Activities generally run at weekends and during the school holidays at different venues across the Island.