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  1. Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities

Our different types of volunteers are listed below and all volunteer vacancies can be found here

Adopter Voice Chairperson

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An Adopter Voice Chairperson, collects all the views from Champions, to write a report for the RAA making recommendations on a topic, based on the views from Adopters.

An Adopter Voice Chairperson may attend the Reginal Adoption Agency (RAA) management boards to represent Adopter Voice, Chair the Adopter Advisory board (AAB) where Champions consider recommendations for the RAA reports, or  host online Focus Forums to gather views directly from Adopters.

Published: 27th May, 2021

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Adopter Voice Champions

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Adopter Voice uses Champions, who are volunteers, to share the lived experience of adopters and their families with the Reginal Adoption Agency (RAA) to influence and review changes.

An Adopter Voice Champion will hold a network of Adopters, gathered along their own adoption journey, in which to seek views from. Adopter Voice Champion’s may also hold networking events to seek views and share this anonymously with the regional Adopter Voice Chairperson.

Published: 27th May, 2021

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Community Group Coordinators

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Community Group Coordinators engage, manage, and facilitate virtual and/or face to face meetings and events for local Adoption UK members and their families, whilst also building a local network of adoptive families to form a supportive community.

By bringing the experiences of adopters together we can from stronger alliances and facilitate meet ups and face to face activities proving valuable peer to peer support. 

Our Community Group Coordinators have personal experience of adoption as an adoptive parent, an adopted person, or have experience of adoption processes. 

What does a Community Group Coordinator do? 

  • Organise and hold meetings both virtually and face to face.
  • Understand the issues facing adoptive parents.
  • Engage and help network local adopters.
  • Set up local events for local Adoption UK members.
  • Cascade key information around adoption to local members
  • Build a supportive community for local Adoption UK members

Published: 27th May, 2021

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Fundraising Volunteers

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Our friendly and enthusiastic volunteers to support the Fundraising Team with our fundraising activities.

Each year the Fundraising Team are set an income target and aim to achieve this by carrying out various fundraising activities. Without the support of our amazing volunteers we would not be able to achieve this target. Being a Fundraising Volunteer is very flexible and provides the opportunity to help us out as little or as often as you feel comfortable with.

Key tasks of a Fundraising Volunteer -

Tasks within the Fundraising Support Group can be wide and varied. Typical roles can include one or many of the following:

  • With support from the Fundraising Team, and your fellow volunteers, help to plan and deliver events and activities to raise funds and awareness
  • Support the Fundraising Team with the events they are organising - your role may vary for each event; you could be greeting and registering participants, cheering on participants at challenge events, selling raffle tickets or Christmas cards,running a book/cake stall or tombola or serving refreshments, for example
  • Help with admin – processing donations/information onto the fundraising database, photocopying, filing, writing letters, etc.
  • Publicise fundraising events and activities within the local community
  • Support collections and community fundraising events
  • Pro-actively seek new opportunities to raise awareness and funds for AUK
  • Give talks/presentations to local community groups and schools
  • Where appropriate, attend Fundraising Group meetings
  • Thank donors/supporters

What we are looking for No formal experience is needed, as all necessary training will be given, but ideally you will:

  • Be enthusiastic about helping to support AUK
  • Be trustworthy and reliable
  • Have excellent communication and team working skills
  • Have the desire to find out more about the work of AUK
  • Have flexibility and the willingness to volunteer
  • Keep up-to-date with the work of AUK to represent the charity in a professional manner

We would appreciate any time you are able to offer or Fundraising challenges you wish to take on. We would be delighted to discuss ongoing projects that might interest you, including administrative support.

What we offer

  • Members of the Fundraising Team will help and support you when volunteering
  • You will be able to develop new and existing skills in areas such as fundraising, events, database and computer skills
  • Fundraising is fun and rewarding and a great way of meeting new people
  • You will be working as part of a dedicated and motivated team of volunteers
  • You will have the opportunity to make a real difference to the adoption community
  • Volunteers can claim all reasonable and previously agreed expenses (such as for travel or reimbursement for items purchased)

Interested? Please contact the Fundraising Team at [email protected]

Published: 7th June, 2021

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Media Volunteers

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Share your story

We frequently receive enquiries from the media wanting to interview adoptive families and prospective adopters

Sharing your story is a great way to raise awareness about the joys and challenges of adoption with a wider audience.

We are looking for all types of stories from prospective adopters at the start of the process to those who are several years into an adoption.

Your story can be a positive one or focus on some of the challenges you've faced as an adopter.

Find out more about becoming one of our media volunteers

You can also email the team at [email protected] 

Published: 26th May, 2021

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Peer Mentors

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What do mentors do?

Mentors are there to give support, sharing of experience and encouragement to potential and experienced adopters as they move through the adoption process from assessment through to placement and beyond. Their goal is to help families through an emotionally challenging period so that they:

  • Feel like someone understands them and is genuinely able to see from their perspective without judging them;
  • Feel able to handle the trials and tribulations of the process and stick with it;
  • Have a sense of confidence about what they are about to embark on – confident that they can access the support and information they need when they need it;
  • To provide emotional support and encouragement for adopters
  • To sign-post to local support
  • To share experiences and successes to help adopters as they deal with transitions, contact issues, challenging behaviours and other challenges around their adopted children

What skills and experience do you need?

Mentors will bring their own adopter experience to the role and offer support and encouragement to adopters as they move through the adoption journey. We are looking variety of mentors with range of experiences and skills, for example,

Interpersonal skills – able to listen and empathise, build relationships, convey information with sensitivity, can judge the mood of a situation and act accordingly.

Knowledge of the adoption process - in your local area, knowledge of the adoption reforms nationally and how they apply locally, knowledge of the key sources of advice and information (including on entitlements) – able to point adopters to the information they need as and when they need it.

Knowledge of common adoption challenges - regardless of personal experience, be able to talk about and empathise with common adoption challenges e.g. education, family & friends view on a child’s behaviour and parenting, contact etc.

Published: 27th May, 2021

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Specialist Community Group Coordinator

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Specialist Community Group Coordinators  engage, manage, and facilitate virtual and/or face to face meetings and events for Adoption UK members and their families, whilst also building a local network of adoptive families to form a supportive community within their specialist area.

By bringing the experiences of adopters together we can from stronger alliances and facilitate meet ups and face to face activities proving valuable peer to peer support.

Our Specialist Community Group Coordinators have personal experience of adoption as an adoptive parent, an adopted person, or have experience of adoption processes. 

What does a Community Group Coordinator do? 

  • Organise and hold meetings virtually 
  • Understand the issues facing the members of the specialist group
  • Engage and help network members
  • Build a supportive community Adoption UK members
  • Share their knowledge and experiences with the group

Published: 27th May, 2021

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Support Group Coordinators

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As a Group Coordinator you will have the scope to shape an annual programme to focus on what local adopters and adoptive families as asking for. Groups set up in partnership with local adoption agencies will have the benefits of that connection and additional resources.

Some of our groups are run by individuals, some by two or more Group Coordinators.

In return we offer specialist, role-focused training for you to help you to manage all aspects of the role, full and on-going support to set up and run your group, a framework and resources to make it easier to operate. Out of pocket expenses are also covered.

Published: 26th May, 2021

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Who are the coordinators?

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Our volunteers are adoptive parents (i.e. legally adopted their child or children).

They are people with:

  • enthusiasm;
  • some time to spare and share;
  • have a general interest in others; and
  • an awareness of, and an interest in, developing their knowledge of adoption and related issues.

What do they do?

Our volunteers offer encouragement and support to people interested in adopting children, prospective adopters, approved adopters and adoptive parents.

Through group meetings and family get-togethers, they provide the opportunity for prospective adopters and adoptive parents to get to know each other in their local communities. These opportunities to meet up and share experiences are invaluable to our members.

Published: 26th May, 2021

Updated: 20th September, 2021

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