Studdy Buddy

Positive Help
VO102768

Do you love learning and want to inspire a child or young person to reach their full potential? As a Study Buddy Volunteer, you will spend 1:1 time with a child or young person aged between 5 and 18 who is affected by HIV or Hepatitis C and who could use a little extra support.
Study Buddy Volunteers make learning exciting, engaging, and rewarding for their child. Through consistent, weekly support, you will help to develop their confidence in their abilities. Whether it's practicing math, exploring creative writing, or tackling science topics, you will be there to guide, encourage, and celebrate their progress.
You will provide educational support that is tailored to the child's needs and goals. You will help with homework, school projects, developing study skills, and ultimately fostering a love of learning. There is also scope to support wider learning by planning trips to the museum or other educational places.
Consistency is important for the children we support. We therefore ask our Study Buddies to commit to a minimum of 1 year of volunteering in order to nurture feelings of trust and safety.

What You'll Do

• Communicate with Positive Help Staff about availability and arrangements for upcoming sessions.
• Send a Safeguarding message once you have picked the child up and dropped them at home.
• Take them to a local community space such as a library or café for homework or on an educational outing.
• Have a snack or meal together to help develop life skills such as ordering food and budgeting.
• Help to reinforce other life skills, e.g. road safety or paying for bus fares.
• Research resources and plan learning activities appropriate for the child’s age and needs, this may include activities suitable for children with Additional Support Needs such as dyslexia.
• Build on the child or young person’s strengths, experiences, skills and talents.
• Help the child or young person recognise and value their own achievements and successes.
• Prioritise the needs of the child of young person and inform Positive Help if you have any concerns for them.
• Submit feedback and expenses after each outing.

Experience required

• Personal qualities: Empathy, patience, reliability, and a caring, non-judgmental attitude.
• Skills: Good listening, timekeeping, and relationship-building abilities.
• Commitment to values: Upholding Service Users’ confidentiality and maintaining boundaries.

Travel details

We offer full reimbursement of travel and other reasonable expenses.

Travel expenses

We offer full reimbursement of travel and other reasonable expenses.

I want to volunteer

Report this opportunity

Support

Training details

• Training takes place over two full days, one of which is certified First Aid training, and four shorter training sessions.
• Ongoing post-session support.
• Guided peer-support.
• One-to-one support meetings.