The Warwickshire Empowering Families Service, commissioned by Warwickshire County Council (WCC), is working in partnership NYAS to support vulnerable parents. The service matches parents in need of a helping hand with a local volunteer who can support them with parenting skills, budgeting and accessing services like children and family centres.
Understanding Empowering Families
As the name suggests, the Empowering Families service aims to keep families together. To do this, we work extremely hard to make sure that our volunteers are carefully matched with the right family. By doing this, we hope to ensure a long and successful relationship over the six month period provided by the service.
NYAS volunteers work extremely hard to ensure our families feel supported throughout the project. They help them to make changes that will create positive differences in their lives, and the lives of their children. Volunteers identify existing strengths within the family, and build on these to effect positive change. As a result, they help the adults within the family to become better equipped for the demands of parenting.
I attended a conference to support a Social Worker working with a family who has someone from your service volunteering. Mum spoke positively about the support she has received from her during the conference. The volunteer sat with her throughout the meeting and provided appropriate support. She also agreed to continue supporting mother, which mother was receptive to.
Professional Working with Empowering Families Mother
Empowering Families: In Action
This service makes a difference to the lives of families in Warwickshire. We wanted to share one of those stories with you, to illustrate the impact this service has when it's in action.
Working Together
One of our volunteers has met with a parents in the service regularly for a six month period. They met at the parent's home, coffee shops and also at a local park. Both individuals worked together to identify times that would work for them both. This led to routinely weekly visits. Meeting at the coffee shops was particularly special for this parent, as she didn't feel comfortable enough to do this with anyone else in the past.
Parent Focused
Over time, the volunteer gained the parent's trust. The parent shared her anxieties about her current situation and also discussed her aspirations for the future. Using this information, our NYAS volunteer was able to create a plan that would allow the parent to move forward, develop their skills and acheive the aspirations she had for her family. To track progress, the pair identified small goals together, and made sure to celebrate every milestone along the way.
[I feel] more in control of my life, less isolated and more confident
Empowering Families Mother
Looking to the Future
As a result of the kindness, understanding, patience and encouragement of the NYAS volunteer, the parents managed to build on her strengths. She was able to develop the necessary skills she needed to manage day to day family life.
With improved skills comes a boost in confidence, which has resulted in this parent planning activities for her and her children to share. They now enjoy walks to the park and a visit to the local stables – this is something that felt so far out of reach for the parent at the start of the programme.
Our volunteer also empowered the parent to speak up and contribute in meetings relating to her family. The volunteer attended relevant meetings with the parent, prepared notes to discuss and also spent time talking through the outcome of the meeting. Through this crucial reflection time, the parent was able to adapt their support plan, ensuring actions from the meeting were met.
If you would like more information about this service or know anyone who may like to volunteer for us, get in touch.
