Volunteering

Volunteer for Pinpoint

Like everybody recently, we have had to change how volunteering works at Pinpoint. Whilst we currently do not have face-to-face volunteering opportunities, your help to reach SEND families is still extremely valuable to us.

Whether you have an hour to spare or more, your time can make a very big difference to the work we do for other families. We’d love to welcome you to our team.

We are continuing to offer sessions with experts to give essential information and support to families. These are currently online.

  1. Can you help by simply spreading the word about our Pinpoint sessions, our website and, inviting them the sign up to our Facebook page and monthly Newsletter?

We are continuing to ensure that parent carers have opportunities to have a say and get involved in improving local services. These are currently online.

  1. Can you help by joining our monthly topic discussion groups so that the voices of parents and carers continue to be heard in the services they need?

We continue to be asked to complete surveys and give feedback on issues both new and ongoing that parents and carers face.

  1. Can you help by taking part in these surveys?

We are continuing to work on documents that provide representation for parents and carers.

  1. Can you help by reading through these documents and letting us have your feedback?

If the answer to any of these requests is “YES” then you could become a Pinpoint Volunteer at a time and place that works around you and your family’s needs.

All our volunteers are offered bespoke Pinpoint training – including help with communication skills – to help you make the most of your time with us.

You will also earn a Time Credit for every hour you give to help Pinpoint which you can spend on treats for you, your family, friends and schools.
If you would like to know more about becoming a volunteer at Pinpoint, simply email linda@pinpoint-cambs.org.uk and she will be happy to speak to you.

We love volunteering for Pinpoint because...

Head and shoulders of Pinpoint volunteer Margaret Soare

“Volunteering for me has been about being a voice for the voiceless. I have attended a number of meetings where SEND provision has been discussed.  My role has been to be the parents’ voice and to remind the professionals that it is not numbers or finances they are dealing with but real people with real needs.” Margaret Sare

“Pinpoint is a beacon of light of what can be a very dark maze for SEND parents.  The reason I call them a beacon is that parents who have walked the road before turn around and help new parents that are just starting out. In this process we slowly turn a dimly lit maze into a highway for all current and future SEND parents and children to walk on.  Volunteering for Pinpoint was the natural next step and expression of gratitude for showing me the way.  SEND is everyone’s business and it starts with me playing my part.”

“I volunteer because of the help and support I have received personally from Pinpoint which I know has been invaluable to us as a family and also for my own mental health.”

“It’s nice to not feel alone and it’s important to pass the feeling on to others.”

Become a Pinpoint Champion

The Pinpoint team is made up of parents and carers and we work hard to get the message out to families that there is help out there, but we can’t reach everyone.

We need parents just like you who understand that getting the right help at the right time could make a lifetime of difference to a child and their family.

We need Pinpoint Champions who can…

  1. Cascade information online – share Pinpoint information, events, and updates on social media with other parents and local community groups
  2. Contact their schools with Pinpoint information – ask your school if you can advertise Pinpoint sessions on school parent mail or Facebook page, and maybe ask about them setting up a SEND parents page.
  3. Tell us what parent and carers need to know – things change, and issues arise so please help us make sure our free Pinpoint parent carer sessions are meeting needs of families.

We will give you…

  1. Regular support so that you will feel confident as a Pinpoint Champion.
  2. The chance to meet other Pinpoint Champions online each month for a catch up.
  3. Time Credits in recognition for the time you give us that you can spend on leisure facilities and opportunities

Pinpoint do everything we can to look after you and our service users so as part of recruiting our Parent Champions we will ask you to:

  • Complete our Volunteer Agreement form.
  • Have an informal zoom meeting with Linda to see if the role works for you.

If you want to know more, just email Linda who will be happy to help: linda@pinpoint-cambs.org.uk.

“As parents of Special Needs children, we have experience of what it feels like when you don’t have the right guidance and knowledge of where to find help and support.

We feel we can help parents to find the right help and support, by listening to their needs and showing them where to get this help on the Pinpoint website page. It feels good to share our stories about our own struggles in order to be able to offer advice on what has worked for us and support different parents and carers when they are going through a difficult time.

Since we have started the Tii hub, we have had so many people comment on how much happier they are, knowing that we can guide them to ask for help from the Pinpoint website.”

Pinpoint Champion