We’re seeking a Parent / Carer trustee

1Voice is a small, volunteer-led charity, with a passionate community of members. As part of our support for AAC users, we connect parents, carers, and family members who are navigating life with AAC.

We are looking for someone with lived experience of being a parent or family carer of an AAC user to join our team. We currently have 10 Trustees, each taking the lead on a certain area. The focus of this role is specifically to lead our 1Voice parent / carer support activities.

What’s involved?

• Continuing our bi-monthly, 1-hour online parent chats

• Identify topics of interest for our 1Voice parents

• Keep in touch with parents via our closed parents Facebook group

• Explore new approaches to connecting our members.

You will not be expected to do this all at once, but to gradually pick up these areas as you feel ready and confident to do so.

What’s required?

• Get a DBS check (paid for and administrated by 1Voice).

• Complete a short online safeguarding training (paid for by 1Voice, c. 1 hour).

• Collaborate with the Trustee team (via our messaging app and meetings).

Parent chats are currently held on Zoom, every other month, on a Friday lunch time 1-2pm, but the timing of this could be amended to better suit your availability, or as the group develops.

Trustees meet monthly on a Tuesday 7.30-8.30. You would not have to attend every meeting.

What skills and experience are you looking for?

Beyond lived experience of being a parent / carer to an AAC user, there are a few key qualities that would be valuable in this role.

Enthusiasm: all our trustees are passionate about supporting AAC users, enthusiasm to talk to other parents / carers to share experiences and make connections will be key.

Open-mindedness: our members come from all over the country, are at different stages on their communication journey and use AAC because of different conditions and disabilities.

Good listening and communication skills:our online support chats are a unique opportunity for parents and carers to connect with others who are navigating life with AAC. Supporting them to feel welcome, heard and confident to ask questions if they want to is what we’re looking for.

We use Canva to create graphics to let members know about our parent activities and manage online bookings for these on Ticketsource. We aim to spread the word via Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin. Skills in any of these are a bonus. We can dial up or down this aspect of the role to suit the individual. For those who love this sort of thing, we can give you access to the tools to do it. For those who don’t feel confident or enjoy them, these aspects can be supported by the wider trustee team.

• If you’re interested in joining us, contact Alison for an informal chat on Alison@1Voice.info.

  Alison is a 1Voice trustee whose daughter is an AAC user.