Location: Frankston, Frankston North, Carrum Downs, Karingal
Position type: Voluntary
Hours: from 2 hours, four times a term upwards
Required commitment: one year
Support: Full staff support, training and supervision - after hours phone support
Program: Child and Family Support

Volunteers are an invaluable support within parenting courses for providing play and distraction to the pre-schoolers so their parents can learn in a more relaxed atmosphere. The Child First Partnership offers some very valuable courses for parents to strengthen families.

By providing distraction and play for pre-schoolers during such courses as "Positive Parenting", "Seeking Solutions", "Who's In Charge", "Out of Bounds" and "Returning From Violence", the Volunteers are really contributing to the overall success of the programs. The parents who attend these courses might otherwise not attend at all or be unable to concentrate and learn from what is being presented.

Another valuable part of this volunteering role, is modelling appropriate play and interactions with young children to parents who may not have had many positive parenting role-models themselves.

This differs from formal child-care, because you are in the same room as the parents and facilitators, so it is a very supported and safe environment for everyone. This role may particularly suit someone who wants to explore a career in child-care or group facilitation or similar. A great way to test it out and it can also suit someone who just loves spending time with little children.

You would receive guidance and support from your Volunteer Coordinator and be invited to attend regular Volunteer Support Meetings and Professional Development opportunities throughout the year.

Skills required

• The ability to see things from someone else's point of view
• Empathic and non-judgemental viewpoint
• Imagination and creativity to be able to provide interesting play to engage with pre-schoolers
• A willingness to get down on the floor and play
• The ability to multi-task

Requirements

• Easy access to volunteering area
• Driver's license preferred, but not essential. Self-motivated
• Able to work unsupervised, but within program guidelines
• Working with Children Check card
• 100 points of ID for National Criminal Check (Police Check)

Volunteer and Carer position online enquiry form