Family Wellbeing Volunteer
Do you want to make a real difference to the lives of children and families? Do you want to learn new skills, gain experience and become part of a friendly and supportive team? If so, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.
Children First is Scotland’s national children’s charity. We stand up for children, keep them safe and support them to recover from trauma and abuse through our national and local services.
Edinburgh Family Wellbeing Service offers emotional, practical, and financial support to children and families across the city. We take a whole-person approach, knowing that these challenges often overlap and can make it harder for parents and carers to meet their children’s needs. We support children and families in a range of ways including whole family support, one to one support and groupwork.
What will I be doing?
We are looking for volunteers to support two services provided by our Edinburgh Family Wellbeing Service. We explore what will be the best fit for families, yourself and the service from the roles below at interview and during training and induction.
Edinburgh Family Support Partnership - Umbrella Hubs – This is a city wide collaboration between Children First and a range of partners which delivers accessible support to families through pop-up community Umbrella Hubs. These hubs offer quick, flexible, and stigma-free help to families without requiring complex referrals or long waiting times. The Hubs operate in different areas all across the city.
As a volunteer with the Umbrella Hubs you’ll help create a warm, approachable environment where families feel safe and supported. This would include: welcoming families when they arrive; explaining the support available at the Hubs; gathering initial information about their needs and connecting them with staff in the Hubs and local resources.
Space to Grow - Every childhood is special. It’s a time to learn and grow, to make friends, to discover, but challenges like bullying, racism, or problems at home can make it tough. Space to Grow offers free early help for children aged 8 to 13 providing one to one support and group work to help children understand feelings and build strong relationships.
As a volunteer with Space to Grow you would work alongside Children First staff to helping children feel confident, included, and able to express themselves. This would include welcoming children to the group and helping them settle in; offering support during the session to help children participate and build confidence and helping with setup, providing snacks, and clearing up.
Currently the service focuses on supporting children in the north east of Edinburgh however it may offer support in other areas depending on need.
Please see role description below for more detailed information about the role.
What training and support will I get?
We provide a comprehensive introductory training course that will equip you with the skills and knowledge that you need. Our next training course will run on the following dates from our office in Bruntsfield Edinburgh:
• Sunday 5th October – 9.30am-4.00pm
• Sunday 19th October - 9.30am-4.00pm
• Sunday 2nd November - 9.30am-4.00pm
On successful completion of the initial training you will become part of a friendly and supportive team and
will be provided with ongoing support from a named member of staff. While volunteering Children First staff will always be on hand to provide any support you need. You will also be able to claim reasonable travel and other costs so you’re not out of pocket while volunteering.
What will I get from volunteering?
Volunteering with us is more than just giving us your time, we want you to gain from it as well. Volunteering is a great way to build your confidence, learn new skills, meet new people, and make a real difference to children and families — all while enhancing your wellbeing and gaining valuable experience. We will take time to get to know you and understand what you want to achieve and, where we can, offer you opportunities to develop in the role.
What do you need from me?
You don’t need to have any specific previous experience or formal qualifications and full training is provided. We are looking for people with some understanding of issues affecting children and families who have good communication skills and can build positive relationships.
Volunteers are required to be members of the PVG Scheme for this role. This will not cost you anything and we will support you to apply for this.
We ask you to be able to commit to volunteering for 2-4 hours a week for at least a year.
What do I need to do next?
If you would like to find out more about the role or have any questions please get in touch via volunteer@children1st.org.uk - we’d love to hear from you.
To apply please complete the application pack below and return to volunteer@childrenfirst.org.uk and we will be in touch about next steps.