UnitingCare – Helping you live life in all its fullness. UnitingCare is a courageous and creative health and community services provider. Each year we engage with more than 430,000 individuals, families and communities in over 460 locations across Queensland and the Northern Territory. Through our services we’re addressing some of our community’s most pressing social issues, confronting injustice and providing end-to-end support for those facing adversity. With a strong connection to the Uniting Church, we use our reach and compelling vision to help people live life in all its fullness. At UnitingCare, we strive to help the people we serve experience life in all its fullness.

Volunteer to change lives. Yours included.

This volunteer opportunity will help to direct client support volunteers walk alongside disadvantaged families, children and young people as they move towards goals to enhance wellbeing and safety. Volunteers are a consistent support person to our clients, providing a safe space to talk and experience positive interactions.

IFSS works with families who are experiencing complex issues that are impacting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people living at home. Our volunteer program aims to connect clients with an additional support person who visits once a week at the family home, in the community, or at other tasks. Our volunteers develop a relationship with children, young people and parents over time as they move towards family goals of enhancing child and family wellbeing and safety.

Our Family Friend volunteers help clients to grow skills, relationships and family wellbeing. They may support clients through engaging in activities with children and young people, growing life skills, building connections to the local community and resources, enhancing parenting skills, and supporting parent-child interactions and attachment.

Ideally, our volunteers will have an interest in supporting disadvantaged families, the ability to develop relationships and build rapport, and an empathetic and non-judgemental approach. It is helpful to have an awareness of societal issues including diversity, trauma, domestic and family violence, mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and child protection.

Our volunteers become valued members of the team; access training, supervision, and a designated volunteer coordinator; and use a UnitingCare vehicle for client visits. Our office is based at Underwood, however we support clients through home and community visits. IFSS supports between 140-160 active clients at a time, with Caseworkers holding lead responsibility for each case and volunteers providing an invaluable additional support. Volunteers typically visit the same client once a week, building consistency and stability and allowing progress toward goals.

Tasks involved include: ▪ Each of our clients are different, so an individual task description is provided at each volunteer referral. Our volunteers provide clients with a space to talk; encouragement and emotional support; help with goal setting; identifying strengths and building esteem; offering practical help and community linking; and sharing fun positive interactions.

• Informal emotional support: coffee and a chat, reflection, wind down after stress. • Practical support and skill building: parenting, household tasks, meal planning and prep, routines, budgeting, development, shopping, education, social skills, job readiness. • Building resources and connection to community: visiting play groups, cultural or recreation activities, low-cost groceries, support agencies, paperwork, rental applications, • Supporting parent-child interactions: fun activities, playground, library, play group, holiday activities, or activities at home, baking, reading, toys and games. • Activities with children: homework, reading, sport, games, playground, child minding at visits. • Transport and support to appointments, assisting at groups or events, delivering client items.

This is a great opportunity to: ▪ Enjoy social interaction with others, ▪ Build, maintain or contribute specialised skill sets, ▪ Experience the joy of making a meaningful difference

Skills Required: Volunteers must be aged 20 years or older, hold a current open class QLD drivers licence, be eligible to apply for a Blue Card, and have a current covid vaccination certificate. Volunteers must have the capacity to maintain confidentiality and boundaries, follow concern reporting policies, be reliable and have the time and energy to volunteer once a week during business hours only for at least 6 months.

This role is accessible for people using: IFSS is a home and community visiting service - so accessibility for each client is unique and unable to be guaranteed.

UnitingCare values diversity in our organisation and we have some principles in place that will help to promote both inclusion and access. If you have any other accessibility requirements, please disc