Volunteer Adult and Child Session Assistant
Closing Date: 27th May
The Rewild Project is an environmental education project, dedicated to enacting radical social change by teaching a range of heritage craft and land skills and promoting a true local economy. We target marginalised and disadvantaged groups here in The Forest of Dean with a range of community projects. Our ultimate-goal is to create a sustainable land based eco village community of craftspeople and land workers here in the Forest of Dean, running apprenticeship programmes and building a real, workable local economy.
We run a number of Heritage Crafts and Land based Projects aimed at a range of age and needs groups. Often we target marginalised, disadvantaged and additional needs groups, please watch our Rewild Presentation for a full understanding of the range of activities we currently offer.
The Role
We are looking for energetic, organised, outdoorsy, crafty & reliable people to support The Rewild Project mission and build their skills by assisting our experienced facilitators in session delivery. This could be working with our Home Education Group, Growing Futures Teams, Rekindle Youth Teams to assist before, during and after the sessions with tasks such as assisting with food preparation, preparing activities, tidying away, washing pots and other ad-hoc tasks that help the facilitators.
Hours
In exchange for investing in your development, organising your DBS, and safeguarding training we ask that you commit to around 21 hours per month which equates to around 3 days work 9.30-3.30.
What you get:
Satisfaction of helping other people, being part of a team, working together towards shared goals.
Training and personal development opportunities.
Building experience, skills & confidence.
Learning from experienced Rewild Project facilitators.
CV experience.
A transferable DBS certificate.
Occasional opportunities to assist and take up places on our weekend workshops.
Personal Qualities
Reliable and punctual.
Self-motivated.
Open-minded, willing to learn, flexible and adaptable.
Enjoy being outdoors & integrating with the natural world and passionate about sharing this with adults and children.
Have good communication skills, able to slot in and quickly build good relationships with team and participants.
Empathetic towards people who are less fortunate.
Be aware of health and safety issues.
Be able to work well as a member of a team, taking and following instructions when needed.
Have a sense of fun.
Be patient and tolerant.
Have a reasonable level of physical fitness.
A personal self-development / Rewilding practice is essential to work within The Rewild Project and S3 model of organisation.
Skills / Experience Essential
Connecting with the natural world around the seasons.
Understanding of, or willingness to learn about the emotional, physical and spiritual needs of children and young people.
Off grid environments.
Heritage crafts / ancestral skills.
Interest in alternative education provision such as Steiner / Montessori / Forest School / Reggio Amelia.
Skills / Experience Desirable
Working with children / young people in a nurturing setting.
Engaging children / young people in a range of outdoor activities.
Allowing children / young people to take risks and find their own boundaries.
Being ‘the coach’ rather than ‘the referee’ when supporting children or young people to resolve conflicts and challenging behaviour.
Working / engaging with children with Special Education Needs.
Engaging children / young people with risky play & knowledge of how this is imperative for brain development. Training will be given if this is something you do not have knowledge or experience of.
Qualifications in alternative education provision such as Steiner / Montessori / Forest School / Reggio Amelia.
Sharing traditional handicrafts with children an age-appropriate level.
Experience living or working in cooperative or non-hierarchical settings, alternative settings, using Sociocracy /S3 or consensus decision making.
Authentic relating / communication / NVC (Non-Violent Communication) – training will be given.
Qualifications / Certificates Essential – To be completed as part of induction process
Safeguarding Children Levels 1 & 2.
Safegurding Adults Levels 1 & 2.
Oliver McGowan Training.
Food Hygeine Level 2.
Enhanced DBS with update service.
Outdoor First Aid +F (includes paediatric).
There are many other training courses available once you are signed up as a volunteer with us – the sky’s the limit!
Role and Responsibilities
Induction into The Rewild Project & agreement to support Rewild Project aims, values & confidentiality agreement.
Working with teams to assist and support sessions as and when needed.
Delivering fun, interactive sessions with children and young people including circle time games, wholesome food preparation, crafts and games.
Ensuring all policies and procedures are adhered to – accident book and other paperwork is kept up to date and in line with GDPR.
We would like to hire volunteers and team members who want to have a long-term future with The Rewild Project. If so we offer ongoing staff training / team building across The Rewild Project. Occasional weekend / evenings by arrangement.
Agreement to ask for and accept help in the form of a conflict resolution process if / when a conflict arises.