Children’s charity needs more volunteers

A leading children’s charity is appealing for more volunteers in West Lothian to help deliver the charity’s groundbreaking ‘Speak Out Stay Safe’assemblies in primary schools.

NSPCC Scotland began delivering the assemblies in Scotland in 2012 and since then its staff and team of dedicated volunteers have spoken to tens of thousands of school children the length and breadth of the country.

Speak Out Stay Safe focuses on corresponding with the school curriculum to ensure children understand what abuse is and know how to keep themselves safe.

In 2017/2018, 53 schools across Edinburgh and the Lothians received the service. If more volunteers sign up to help, the service has the potential to visit all schools in the area to keep children safe from abuse.

NSPCC research shows that on average at least two children in every primary school classroom across the UK will have suffered some form of abuse or neglect.

Karin Walker, school service coordinator for Edinburgh and the Lothians, said:“We deliver assemblies in schools for P1 to P3 and another for P4 to P7 to ensure we are delivering age-appropriate material.

“The aims of both assemblies are the same – so that children can understand abuse in all its forms, know how to protect themselves and identify a range of support they can access if needed. During the assemblies, we use a mascot called Buddy who is shaped like a speech bubble.

“That is particularly relevant for younger children who are just starting school and may not be able to read.

“The visual sight of a speech bubble hopefully reminds younger children that it’s OK to speak out.”

Karin added:“We do a range of interactive activities where we get children to understand five different kinds of abuse; bullying, emotional, sexual, physical and neglect.

“We then use exercises so that children can identify who the trusted adults are they can talk to in school and also out of school.”

Currently, NSPCC Scotland has a team of just over 100 volunteers throughout the country and would like to add to that, particularly in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian.

Karin said:“We are looking for people who care about the welfare and protection of children.

“Our volunteers come from different walks of life, they don’t need to have any background in working with children.

“We provide training, online training, face-to-face training, and then there’s a period of mentoring.”

To find out more about volunteering with the Schools Service go to: https:// www.nspcc. org.uk/wh at-you-can-do/ volunteering-nspcc-childlin e/ volunteer-childline-schools-service/