Services
The original service of Extended Families is our
volunteer matching service. The program is based on a ‘companionship’ or ‘relationship’ model which offers:
valuable companionship and support for the child
practical assistance to the family
regular visits and outings.
This special relationship provides the child with a sense of identity and assists in extending their social and emotional development. It also ensures that the child and family are more linked to and supported in the community, reducing the sense of isolation.
Just as companionship comes in many forms, the Extended Families program offers great flexibility in the level and nature of support.
The volunteer spends regular time with the child, and sometimes the family, either at home or in a community setting. The time volunteers spend varies according to availability and family needs.
Activities can include:
reading stories or playing games
going for a walk to the park
social and recreational outings
helping children access mainstream social, recreational activities participating in school functions
assisting parents with medical appointments.
Through this, the volunteer provides the child with:
a sense of belonging
care and nurturing
a special relationship
together with flexible respite for family members.
Plans are worked out between the child, family and volunteer, taking into account the child’s needs and interests, the family’s lifestyle and the availability of the volunteer. Reviews of plans are held annually, or as needed, between Extended Families, the family and volunteer.
Our qualified Regional Coordinators work diligently to recruit, train and match a volunteer with a child and family and then foster and support the relationship. Volunteers are thoroughly screened and assessed and provided with training and orientation. Where a child has needs which require specific skills, Extended Families may seek to recruit an appropriately skilled volunteer or arrange for specialised training.
Extended Families is committed to helping develop strong, ongoing relationships between volunteers and families. All matches are monitored regularly by the Regional Coordinator and ongoing support is provided to volunteers and families through contact with the Regional Coordinator, newsletters, volunteer peer support meetings, family fun days and social events.
From the core service, we have now developed a range of other services to help meet identified needs, mission and vision. These include:
Live your Community
Individual volunteers are matched to a child with a disability and provide practical assistance and mentoring support to the child, family and community group, assisting the child’s participation and inclusion in local recreation and sport activity or group in their local community. Live Your community is currently available in the North and West Region, with a special ‘Sporting Mates’ Program available in Banyule, Nillumbik and Whittlesea.
Together Groups
These bring small groups of children together with one or more volunteers, and may include peer volunteers, to learn and strengthen social skills, self esteem and confidence, and may be used to facilitate skill development required to join other mainstream groups.
Vietnamese Play Connect Play Group
A supported play group for Vietnamese families with children under the age of five who have an autism spectrum disorder. Play Connect Play Group is currently available in Western metropolitan region in Braybrook.
My Time Play Groups
Supported play groups for families with children under the age of five who have a disability. Both of the current groups are for Vietnamese families and children 0-16 (with a focus on pre-school children). My Time play groups are currently available in the Western metropolitan region (Braybrook) and in Springvale.
Friendship Groups
Larger groups for children with a disability (and sometimes their families) who meet regularly for fun, friendship and social development. Unfortunately we do not have ongoing funding for these, so they are only available when we get specific support from charitable trusts or similar.
Social Events Program
Larger group social events for children, families and volunteers linked to Extended Families, provide fun, social expereinces and social connections for children and parents.
Available in all regions.
Extended Families has an established history of high quality, client focused services for children with a disability and their family. Services operates within the
Quality Framework for Disability Services in Victoria (2007) (including the Victorian Standards for Disability Services) and within the HACC National Standards. Extended Families also abides by the ‘National Standards for Involving Volunteers in Not For Profit Organisations’. The framework is one of continuous service improvement.
An independent Agency Assessment using the HACC National Standards Instrument took place in October 2003 and October 2007. Extended Families was assessed as being of a ‘good’ standard in both assessments.
