Nursery Volunteer
About our nursery
Jimbo's Community Nursery has three playrooms:
- Willow Playroom for toddlers (2 to 3 year olds),
- Maple Playroom for pre-school children (2 to 4 year olds), and
- Hawthorn Specialist Playroom for children aged 2 to 4 with learning disabilities).
We also run an after school club with a walking bus to pick up children from local primary schools.
We are unique in Leeds in running a nursery which includes a specialist playroom for children with learning disabilities/ additional needs. This enables children to get the best of both specialist support and a mainstream setting. Children have a ‘base’ place in either the specialist playroom or the mainstream nursery. They spend the majority of their time in their ‘base’ but will also spend time in other rooms in the nursery to take part in particular activities, be with other children the same age, help with transitions to other nurseries or school/SILC.
Role summary
Key tasks include:
- Interacting with children to help develop their play and learning
- Supporting and encouraging children to participate in activities
- Assist with helping children at snack and lunchtime
- Assisting with tidying up at the end of the session
- Following instruction from the room leader and playroom staff
- Establish positive relationships with Leeds Mencap staff and service users
Key duties
- Comply at all times to the settings policies, procedures and standards, including health and safety, hygiene, inclusion, confidentiality, child protection, etc.
- Help staff to promote children’s health, safety and physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
- Help to protect children from danger.
- Help to sustain a safe, welcoming, purposeful, stimulating and encouraging environment where children feel confident and secure and are able to develop and learn to achieve their full potential.
- Talk to children giving constructive and sensitive feedback to help children understand what they have achieved and think about what they need to do next.
- Help staff to plan and provide safe, appropriate, child-led and adult initiated experiences, activities and play opportunities in indoor, outdoor and in out-of-setting contexts, which enable children to develop and learn.
- Help staff to select, prepare and use a range of resources suitable for children’s ages, interests and abilities, taking account of diversity and promoting equality and inclusion.
- Help to promote positive behaviour, self-control and independence through using effective behaviour management strategies and developing children’s social, emotional and behavioural skills.
- Listen to children, pay attention to what they say and value and respect their views.
- Keep up to date with the nutritional needs of the children.
- Help staff with the hygienic upkeep of the room and facilities.
- To support the Leeds Mencap staff on-going development activities.
- Attend relevant training opportunities, such as safeguarding.
- Assist staff in making sure the Ofsted requirements are met.
- Ensure the confidentiality of information about families accessing the setting, complying with Data Protection Act.
Skills, knowledge and attitude
Volunteers need to be friendly and approachable, with good communication skills and the ability to improve their practice.
Commitment
Volunteers should be able to commit to 2/3 hours per week, for a minimum of twelve weeks. We would consider volunteers who are able to do 2 days or more per week for a shorter period.
Additional information
This role requires volunteers to complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. There is no cost to the volunteer for this. Details will be given upon induction.
Travel costs and any additional expenses incurred will be reimbursed.
How to apply
To apply for any of our volunteering opportunities, please download and complete an application form and equal opportunities monitoring form. Email completed forms to info@leedsmencap.org.uk
