Newcastle Family Support Volunteer Project NATIONAL COMMISSIONING AND CONTRACTING TRAINING CONFERENCE - FOR CHIDREN’S SERVICES Wednesday 4 th June 2014 Natalie SpoorStephen Foreman

The Work Introducing the Newcastle Family Support Volunteer Project The service reaches out to vulnerable and marginalised families The service works alongside existing public services in a preventative way

The Model The programme is delivered in a recognised ‘community’ with its own identity. The community must have a centre or hub which can be used as a delivery base e.g. Children’s Centre of Community Centre. Recruitment and Training important Two strands to the programme: – 1:1 Support – Family Club

Volunteering “an activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or individuals or groups other than close relatives” Source: Volunteering England

Development Newcastle Family Support Volunteer Project grew out of identified need and opportunity – Community Consultation (intelligence) – Child Poverty Needs Assessment (data) Since then, it has been expanded as part of Newcastle’s Troubled Families programme

Partnership Model Newcastle City Council Action for Children Barnardos Newcastle Families Programme Ward Committee Housing Trust Area Based Grant Think Family Volunteers Families & Community

Volunteering BENEFITS?BARRIERS?SOLUTIONS?

Newcastle Family Support Volunteer Project Outcomes Project volunteers will access training which will improve their skill set, increase their confidence and help them progress to further training or employment. Parents will improve their parenting skills. Children will have improved well-being through greater parental capacity Communities will be stronger and more resilient with active volunteers working together with families to solve their problems

Any questions?