What is Bucks SENDIAS
Volunteer for SENDIAS
You can help children and young people with SEND by volunteering with SENDIAS.
Our trained volunteer advisers provide advice to children and young people with SEND and their parents and carers. Our trained volunteer administrators support the team in many ways including processing queries and supporting with events.
Our volunteer advisers are good listeners who care for others. They help children and young people with SEND, and their parents and carers, by:
- explaining letters, reports and jargon
- helping to prepare letters and paperwork
- attending education, health and social care meetings
- explaining SEN Support and Education, Health and Care Plans
We will help you to find a role that suits your experience, and provide training and supervision.
To be recruited, you must:
- be available to volunteer every week for at least 8 hours per week
- be available to volunteer on Wednesday mornings
- undergo a selection process including interview
- provide references
- attend extensive initial and ongoing training
- follow confidentiality and impartiality rules
- if selected as a volunteer adviser, you must reach or exceed the passmark for an online SEND law training course
You will also need a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
Testimonials
"I came across the Bucks SENDIAS volunteer adviser advertisement at a point when I was able to offer the required 8-10 hours per week to the role. Having seen the difficulties faced by my brother and his family around SEN support, EHC assessment and school placement, I appreciate the value of the support that the SENDIAS service provide to children, young people and their families and the role immediately appealed to me.
Although this was an entirely new area for me, I have been provided with the comprehensive training, access to the IPSEA qualifications and ongoing support needed to equip me to undertake this role.
The Bucks SENDIAS team have been welcoming and supportive from the start, making me feel valued and able to ask for help and advice whenever needed – even when I have needed help to be repeated more than once this has always been offered freely and without judgement.
I really enjoy the rewarding and varied role as a SENDIAS adviser as well as being part of such a dedicated and devoted team. It has taken me longer than I first imagined to feel that I am able to make a contribution as a member of this team, as there has been so much to learn, not just about the law around SENDIAS provision but also at the Local Authority level too, but the support and help that I am given has ensured that I have always had the information and advice needed to help the users of our valued service."