Volunteer for Us

Helpline: 01785 356921 Do you have some time to spare during the day? Could you be flexible with the time that you are available?

Do you have an interest in Special Educational Needs?

Would you like to support families who have children with Special Educational Needs?

Staffordshire Parent Partnership Service is continually recruiting volunteers to act as Independent Parental Supporters (IPS).

Our volunteers are often parents or grandparents of a child with special educational needs. We provide them with training to further their knowledge of local special educational needs issues and give them the confidence to support other parents. Our training also provides volunteers with support in how to work with parents in a confidential way.

We are looking for people who can offer support to parents and carers in a confident, reassuring and non-judgemental manner. In return, we will provide full and ongoing training on all aspects of the role and reimbursement for expenses incurred during visits or other work undertaken for the service.

How long does it take to train our volunteers?

Formal training for the role usually takes a total of 36 hours, made up of a number of short (3 hour) sessions. At the end of this period, volunteers are given the opportunity to do some shadowing with our Parent Partnership Officers to familiarise them with the types of meetings or visits that parents and carers might request from them.

Once working for the service, volunteers receive on-going support, refresher training and opportunities to get together at monthly volunteer meetings. Their work with families will be observed on a regular basis to ensure they work in accordance with the service policies on impartiality and confidentiality and to empower families to take an active role in decisions made about their child.

Interested? Then give us a call on 01785 356 921 and find out more about becoming an IPS. Alternatively email us at: spps@staffordshire.gov.uk|||

Just look at what our volunteers have done!

Over a recent 12 month period, our team of volunteers helped over 100 families, and gave 500 hours of their time to the service.

That is 100 families, who have had support at meetings, or with writing letters to professionals, etc, and are more informed about their options.

Make a difference and become a volunteer!

For further information and details about how to volunteer, click on the right hand panels.

To download the document(s) click the document image(s).

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