Independent Visitor (Supporting a 15 year old in Coventry)

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.

This is targeted recruitment for a volunteer to be matched with a 15yr old female based in Coventry.

The Independent Visitor Service is part of London Children's Rights Service, a Barnardo's service which is located in Crystal Palace. The Independent Visitor project provides Independent Visitors to support children and young people who are in residential care, foster homes and semi-independent accommodation. Support for these children and young people can include visiting, advising and befriending them, giving them practical help where possible, and acting as an 'adult friend' in situations where the child or young person may have little contact with members of their own family. Independent visitors provide a support which is 'independent' of all other areas of a child or young person's care - they may often be one of very few (if any) people who are not 'paid in some way' to be in their lives. An Independent Visitor provides a consistent and stable person in a young person's life when so many things and people in a 'looked after' young persons' are fluid and changing. For this reason we ask volunteers to commit to a minimum of 2 years with their matched young person.

The Independent Visitor can also have an input to reviews about the child or young person's progress (if the child/young person wishes).

Our Independent Visitors provide a vital support to young people who are in care. They develop a long-term friendship with a young person and share fun and motivational experiences together. As an Independent Visitor you will help young people develop new interests, skills and hobbies or go 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 their local area who shares similar interests.

Independent Visitors are outside the care system and provide young people with continuity, which is something not always possible with changing carers and social workers. We are therefore looking for people from all ages, backgrounds and walks of life to commit a minimum of 18 months (preferably longer) to working with a young person in this role.