Youth Trips & Residential Volunteers

Introduction

The Nepacs youth project is funded by Children in Need, alongside various trusts and community funds from across the north east. The project aims to support young people aged from 8 to 17 years old who have been affected by the impact of having a loved one in prison. A young person may have experienced trauma and feelings of abandonment or become a victim of bullying. As a result, they can become isolated form their peers and struggle to communicate their thoughts and feelings around their own ‘hidden’ sentence. This is where the youth project can step in, to guide young people and offer support and advice to help them to feel positive and more confident about their future.

Overview of the role

Volunteers in this role will provide support, guidance and information to young people who are affected by the imprisonment of a family member. This role will be carried out within prison visitor centres, prison visits halls and through off-site external trips and residentials. Throughout your role, you will be assisted by youth workers, youth project coordinator and sessional staff and will not be expected to take on the sole responsibility for any activities or sessions you do not feel comfortable leading. However, if you feel you would like take on a position with increased responsibility as your volunteering progresses, the youth project coordinator can discuss the opportunities for you to do so, as and where required

Role Description

This youth project volunteer role has different responsibilities attached to it depending on the location you chose to work in and where you feel most comfortable supporting young people. If you would like to take on one or more volunteering roles then this will allow us to provide you with a broader range of experiences and opportunities to help you develop your skills and confidence.

Main tasks will include:

• Supporting staff to deliver a three days / two night activity residential for up to fifteen young people
• Engaging with young people to help them develop peer support and engage in adventurous activities, personal challenges and team-building activities
• Supporting the safe delivery of monthly trips for young people to allow them to increase their self-confidence, self-esteem and to reduce their sense of isolation
• Collect feedback and evaluation forms for young people to help improve the future delivery of the youth project service
• Building up a relationship of trust and confidence with young people to support them to open up about their thoughts and feelings around the impact of the imprisonment of a loved one

Skills

• Passion for supporting children and young people
• Friendly and approachable demeanour
• Strong interpersonal and diplomacy skills
• Empathy towards young people experience difficult circumstances
• Confidence
• Proactive attitude to help out other volunteers and staff where required

Location: Various venues (trips) Dukeswood House, Hexham (residential)