Volunteering opportunities
As a small organisation with limited resources, we depend on the help of volunteers. Whether you are a parent of a disabled child, a professional looking to contribute your skills, or a student wishing to gain experience - we'd love to hear from you!
We will train and support you, and reimburse any travel and childcare expenses you incur. We are also able to offer some paid work.
Consultation support
Description
Help with consultations. May involve helping with the running of focus groups, minute-taking, carrying out telephone and face-to-face consultations.
Time commitment
Variable
Requirements
Excellent communication skills. A friendly manner. Good note-taking skills.
Remuneration
£10-£15 per hour plus travel and childcare expenses.
Speech and Language Therapy campaign
Description
Help with our campaign for more and better speech and language therapy. Liaise with organisations who can support us. Lobby councillors. Meet with officers. Research. Media campaigns.
Time commitment
Flexible
Requirements
None – just a desire to make things better!
Remuneration
Expenses paid.
Parent representative on strategic groups
Description
Represent parents’ views at meetings of strategic groups, e.g. on childcare, post-16 provision, education. We try to send at least two parent volunteers and a Forum worker to each meeting. You will never be asked to attend a meeting on your own.
Time commitment
Induction required (approx. 2 hours). Attend one 2-hour meeting every 1-2 months during school hours, plus 1 hour to prepare for each meeting, and 1-2 hours for writing up brief meeting notes (occasionally, and only if you feel able to).
Requirements
Willingness to canvas and present other parents’ views, e.g. by attending outreach sessions. Ability to contribute to group discussions. A calm, professional manner.
Remuneration
£30 per meeting plus expenses.
Management committee member
Description
Attend monthly meetings of the management committee, contribute to discussions, carry out agreed actions. Duties of the management committee include: managing the Forum’s finances, agreeing a budget, developing policies, agreeing a business plan, managing employees and volunteers, ensuring the organisation stays within the law.
Time commitment
Induction required (approx. 2 hours). Attend one 2-hour management committee meeting per month, usually on a Friday morning. If joining a subcommittee, attend relevant meetings (usually once a month).
Requirements
Management committee members are expected to adhere to the Nolan principles of public life – selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
Remuneration
Expenses paid.
Roadshows
Description
Attend coffee mornings at schools and nurseries and/or relevant events all over Sheffield to promote the Forum, gather parents' views, and provide peer support and signposting.
Time commitment
Induction required (approx. 2 hours). Attend a 2-hour event every 1-2 months, during school hours, with at least one other parent volunteer. May involve picking up materials at the Carers Centre and/or dropping them off again. Take brief notes of issues raised by parents and feed back to Forum staff.
Requirements
Sensitivity and discretion. Own transport useful but not essential. Will reimburse bus and taxi fares.
Remuneration
£10 per hour for attendance at events, plus expenses.
Newsletter articles
Description
Contribute articles to Forum newsletter.
Time commitment
Articles of approx. 300 or 600 words in length, about areas of interest to parent carers.
Requirements
Ability to write clear, accessible copy.
Remuneration
n/a
Evaluating information
Description
Evaluate written information for parents with regard to content and style, and provide written or verbal feedback.
Time commitment
Flexible. Work can be done from home.
Requirements
Ability to critically evaluate written information – is it easy to understand? Does it answer parents’ questions? Are there any gaps?
Remuneration
Negotiable
Organising family events
Description
Organise family events for Forum members, e.g. day trips, panto, fun days. Could involve researching venues/activities, advertising, taking bookings, helping on the day.
Time commitment
Flexible
Requirements
Some experience with organising events would be useful (and yes, birthday parties do count!!)
Remuneration
Expenses paid. Fee negotiable.
Summarising information
Description
Read documents and extract relevant information. Example: read document about statutory assessments, summarise criteria for carrying out an assessment.
Time commitment
Flexible. Work can be done from home.
Requirements
Ability to understand complex texts and present information in a way that is clear and accessible.
Remuneration
n/a
General admin
Description
Help with simple office tasks, e.g. data entry, paying invoices, filling envelopes, photocopying, filing.
Time commitment
Induction required (approx. 2 hours). Flexible hours, but a regular commitment would be preferred (e.g. one morning per week).
Requirements
Basic level of computer literacy.
Remuneration
Expenses paid.
Case studies
Description
Write case studies based on conversations with parents, focussing on specific topic areas. Training and support will be provided.
Time commitment
To be determined
Requirements
High degree of sensitivity, discretion. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Remuneration
Expenses paid.