Advocate (Cornwall Advocacy)

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 Advocates empower children and young people experiencing the care system, to make sure that their rights are respected and their voices are heard at all times. Advocates represent the views, wishes and needs of young people, helping them to navigate the social care system at a very challenging and often scary time for the young person.

Barnardo’s Cornwall Independent Visitor and Advocacy Service is commissioned by Cornwall County Council to provide advocacy support for children and young people with Local Authority Social Care involvement from the age of 6 to 18 (+18 where appropriate) to have their voice heard when they are involved in professional decision making meetings; such as Child in Care Statutory Review Meetings or children and young people when they are involved in Child Protection meetings.

Volunteers visit young people to provide an opportunity for them to share their views in preparation for their meeting. You, as volunteer advocate, will then attend the meeting to represent these views either with the young person or on their behalf.

Advocacy offers an inclusive service including supporting unaccompanied asylum seekers, children and young people with disabilities, additional needs including behaviour, communication and learning difficulties.

Ideally, we are looking for volunteers who can make a minimum commitment of 2 years, in order to offer continuity of support, as the best results are seen when a volunteer can commit to a reasonably long period in this role. Volunteers need to be available during working hours Monday to Friday. Volunteers also need the ability and willingness to travel within reasonable distance from home area.

Barnardo’s is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce of volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates. Foreign language and disability skills are always advantageous in this role.

We are looking for approachable and confident people, who are able to listen to young people, support them to make their voice heard and guide them through the social care system. You will need to be a great communicator and able to support and encourage young people to engage with professionals.

For further information and to apply for this role, please use the link below:

https://volunteer.barnardos.org.uk/opportunities/18021-advocate-st-austell-launceston-liskeard-and-saltash-in-cornwall-2021-04-19