SHINE for Kids is the only national charity to provide services to support children and young people from infancy through to reaching adulthood at 18. Our programs operate in secure, open custody, and transitional correctional facilities throughout NSW, ACT, VIC and QLD

SHINE for Kids programs are designed to provide positive opportunities to reduce the likelihood of children transitioning into child protection and justice systems, help avoid family fragmentation and to reduce both juvenile and adult recidivism.

Our Prison In-Visits Program offers following services to visitors:

• Prison In-Visits Program – The Prison In-Visits program supports positive family interaction and provides a variety of arts, craft and diversionary activities for children to share with their parents. This program is conducted within the relevant visiting area of the Correctional Centre.

• Child/Parent Activity Days – This program ensures that children are able to stay connected to their parent, maintaining their child-parent bond despite the barriers of prison. This child focused program emphasizes the importance of the offender parent having sole responsibility for their children, having an opportunity to practice their parenting skills and to connect with their children over a longer period of time. This program is only offered in school holidays and is conducted within the Correctional Centre.

Volunteers hold a valuable role in ensuring that children have a positive experience during these visits with their family. The program seeks to strengthen the bond between parents and children.

• Program runs in the following Prisons; Barwon Prison, Marngoneet Correctional Centre and Metropolitan Remand Centre

Following are the duties included but not limited to:

Support in the implementation of the Prison in-Visits program, ensuring they’re meeting the needs of children visiting the Correctional Centre and are implemented in a flexible, age appropriate, culturally competent and safe manner.

Maintain an open, warm and professional relationship with all parents (inmate and non-inmate) and share positive information about children with their parents.

Promote a caring, culturally appropriate and nonjudgmental environment for children where they are the priority and where they, and their families, are treated with dignity and respect.

Ensure a safe environment for all those who attend the Centre taking into account child care and protection principles of situational prevention and risk management.

Be aware of, and adhere to, SHINE for Kids policies and procedures including the Professional Conduct and Ethics Policy.

Support in the implementation of the Prison In-Visit events such as Christmas parties, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and cultural events and activities such NAIDOC Day, Chinese New Year, etc.

Please click the apply button to volunteer with us and make a real difference.