Barnardo’s volunteer appeal

Plymouth Independent Visitor & Advocacy Service (PIVAS)

PIVAS covers the whole of Plymouth, recruits, assesses, trains and manages adult volunteers to provide an advocacy service for children and young people at meetings where decisions are being made about them and independent visitor service for children in care. Independent Visitors regularly visit, befriend and advise a child or young person in care where there is little or no birth family contact. The independent visitor is there to promote the health, wellbeing and best interests of the child or young person as outlined in their Care Plan. An advocate is an independent person who is there to ensure that the voice of children and young people is heard where decisions are being made about them at meetings. Advocates empower children and young people to express their views, wishes and feelings themselves or express their wishes for them.

Barnardo’s Plymouth Independent Visitor and Advocacy Service (PIVAS) works with Looked after Children within the city of Plymouth, contracted by Plymouth City Council to support at least 700 children per year; the service actually supports over 230 children in Plymouth each quarter with their advocacy support.

The work of the service is greatly complimented by volunteer Independent Visitor’s being a positive adult, who visits, befriends and helps a child or young person who is in care or care experienced to help re-engage with positive relationships and reshape and enhance social emotional and personal skills.

The role of a volunteer Independent Visitor is to visit regularly to carry out activities together, maybe once a week or once a fortnight for a minimum of 2 hours over a minimum period of 18 months. Most visits or activities happen outside of school hours and therefore this volunteering opportunity is suited to evenings, and especially weekends. Undertaken appropriate activities are child led and aimed at social inclusion, resilience and having fun, which develop a consistent, safe and positive relationship. Also promoting the health, wellbeing and best interests of the child or young person as outlined in their Care Plan.

The PIVAS service has renewed urgent need for new volunteer Independent Visitors to support children in care, within Plymouth, through Independent visiting, mentoring and befriending. Full training and support is provided.
www.barnardos.org.uk/volunteering-search-view.jsp?debugstate=3&vid=152253

For further information about PIVAS and the volunteer Independent Visitor opportunity please contact Lisa Sandercock, Volunteer Co-ordinator on 01752 856729 / 01566 86873 or lisa.sandercock@barnardos.org.uk