WPCC Team Lead Volunteer Recruitment February 2023

Volunteer Team Lead

Opportunities with the

Some Background

Thank you for showing an interest in volunteering some time to support the participation and coproduction work of the WPCC. We hope the information in this pack is helpful.

What is a Parent Carer

The WPCC uses the term parent carer to mean anyone over the age of 18 who provides care to a child or young person with SEND for whom they have some parental responsibility. This does not have to be a birth parent but could include a relative with caring responsibilities, a foster parent or adoptive parent for example.

What is Participation and Coproduction?

Parent carer participation and coproduction is when parents and professionals work together, recognising and respecting each other's expert knowledge, to design, develop and improve services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) in the local area. The way parent carers work with professionals is by forming groups called parent carer forums. Parent carer forums are keen to hear from as many parent carers as possible and with over 4,000 registered parent carers, the WPCC is one of the largest parent carer forums in the country.

Participation and Coproduction at a National Level

As a parent carer forum, the WPCC belongs to the National Network of Parent Carer Forums (NNPCF). The NNPCF ensures that local parent carer forums are aware of national developments and promotes opportunities for the voice of parent carers to influence at a national level. By working with the NNPCF, parent carer forums are able to work together and work closely with the Department for Education, NHS England, and other partner organisations to improve outcomes for children and young people with disabilities or additional needs and their families at a national level.

WPCC’s Volunteering Opportunities

The WPCC is excited to be able to recruit new volunteer parent carer representatives to take a lead in the following areas: Health Team Lead 

Promoting and Raising Awareness of the WPCC  Post 16 Team Lead

Health Team Lead

Health is an important aspect of the provision of many of our children and young people. Over the years, we have developed positive relationships with a number of services, providers and commissioners, and we are looking for a volunteer to lead and develop this important area of work. As WPCC’s volunteer Health Team Lead, you will represent our parent carers and the WPCC by attending meetings, and liaise with services and colleagues including members of the BSW Integrated Health Board, Designated Clinical Officers and Healthwatch Wiltshire.

Promoting and Raising Awareness of the WPCC

Although we have over 4,000 parent carers registered with the WPCC, we are very aware that there are still families of children and young people with SEND who have not heard of the WPCC. As an important ambassador of the WPCC and supported by a team of parent carer reps, your role as our volunteer Engagement Team Lead would be to visit settings and attend coffee mornings, attend events etc., as well as seeking other opportunities to spread the word and help more parent carers know about the WPCC and the support and opportunities we can offer. Our aspiration is that you will be supported by volunteer parent reps who you will liaise with and coordinate, to share some of the responsibilities of this role.

Post 16 Team Lead

Our Post 16 strategic work has grown over the past few years, resulting in us working with adult services colleagues, in addition to our previous Transitions agenda with children’s services colleagues. Some of this strategic work has enabled us to work in partnership with the local authority to inform the development of a single social care pathway for children, young people and adults with disabilities. As WPCC’s Post 16 Team Lead, you will have opportunities to participate in meetings and work with commissioners to help inform much of the work related to moving to adulthood and beyond.

What the WPCC can Offer you

As a strategic WPCC volunteer, you will join our participation and coproduction team. You will receive initial training, support and induction, and you be supported by our Chair of Participation and join existing volunteer Team Lead colleagues. Our Chair of Participation arranges regular informal Team Lead meetings, enabling all Team Leads opportunities to meet together, talk, share and mutually support each other.

The WPCC reimburses all volunteer parent carers travel and childcare expenses incurred when engaging in business on behalf of the WPCC.

The WPCC organises Away Day opportunities during the year which bring together oparent carer volunteers engaged in other WPCC projects and activity, as well as staff members and Steering Group members.

Volunteering with the WPCC is rewarding, you get an opportunity to play a part in making a difference, meet other parent carers, and develop new skills and confidence. Many of the WPCC’s volunteers have gone on to secure paid employment as a result of the training and experience they have received through the WPCC.

We hope the information in this pack has given a little more information about the current WPCC volunteering opportunities.

If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering for any of these roles, including what would be expected of you and what the WPCC can do to support you, we invite you to join us for our Volunteer Recruitment session on Monday 6th February 2023, in the Wessex Room, Corn Exchange, Devizes, SN10 1HS from 10am to 2pm.

The day will include an opportunity to learn more about the roles and opportunities, induction and support, and there will be activities to participate in.

The WPCC will pay your travel and childcare expenses incurred by attending this session, and we will provide a free lunch and refreshments.

If you are interested in joining us on 6th February, please let us know by completing the BOOKING FORM: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ParentRepJan2023.

Bookings for this event will close at 5pm on Monday 23rd January 2023.