Teaching assistant or childcare assistant

[berrin 10]

Hello All,

I would be grateful if somebody in this Forum could give me some advice?

I have recently finished a course in teaching assistant (level 2).

I have applied for jobs through an agency and they told me that I should do some voluntary work before to get some experience.

I have written to some Primary schools in Hillsborough area in order to apply for voluntary work.

None of them replied.

Except from one and they wrote back to say they could not give me any voluntary work because my child goes to that school and it is a conflict of interest, etc:(

I now feel I am stuck... Could some one advice me the best way of obtaining voluntary work place in a childcare setting??

Many Thanks.

[Mr Bloom 10]

You could perhaps try local churches and community centres, or contact the Sheffield Volunteer Bureau.

[FELICIA 10]

you could try a litlle bit further away as you are only volunteering so you should be able to do hours that work around your own child

[growup 10]

Try the secondary schools as well. Any experience will help even if you want to gain employment in primary schools.

[Spanadora 10]

That's not very helpful of them, I come from a childcare background and know a few people that volunteer at their child's school.

 

If you are wanting to work foundation and KS1 you could volunteer in a children's centre in the pre school (3-5) also have you tried volunteering at after school and breakfast clubs to get a foot in the door then you could ask to volunteer in the classes.

 

Also have you considered doing a level 3 or specialising in an area such as special educational needs? That may be another route in. Depending on your circumstances if you studied a level 3 full time then part of that would be placement based. (I did childcare and education lv 3 full time) however if you have a family and bills that's not very ideal is it...

 

---------- Post added 01-02-2013 at 07:51 ----------

 

Also I just thought go back to the centre you studied at, if they offer full time childcare and education and health and social care courses they will have a list of centres that they send students to for placements. You could ask if they could support you to find a voluntary placement.

 

Try local holiday clubs too

[hyper 10]

problem is, these days they have to go through an expensive and lengthy process of setting you up -- CRBs and all that stuff. You may then feel that after a short time its not for you and that is then wasted expense and effort.

 

As a volunter you are not an employee. They may feel at that status they can not plan or depend on you.

 

you say your child is at one school. Normally the conflict of interest can be overlooked. If however your child is on their special needs register, then there is a clear conflict of interest

[alchresearch 214]

Can I ask why you didn't go for L3 TA? They're more sought after.

[emmaaa 10]

I don't know if this will be any use to you, but there's a school based scheme getting volunteers in school to help children with their reading and talking, might be worth getting in touch?

https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/education/about-us/plans-partnership-consultation/escal/volunteering.html

[cherryholic 10]

Can I ask why you didn't go for L3 TA? They're more sought after.

 

Sometimes you can't apply for the L3 TA until you have done L2 especially if you have no prior experience of working with kids. I'm doing level2 now and although I've been to university, I still have had to do L2 first, rather than go straight onto L3 for this reason.

 

They may be more sought after but there are generally more jobs available at L2 than L3.

[MrsMozzy 10]

problem is, these days they have to go through an expensive and lengthy process of setting you up -- CRBs and all that stuff. You may then feel that after a short time its not for you and that is then wasted expense and effort.

 

That has happened to me at least half a dozen times: I've gone to a lot of trouble and spent a lot of time sorting out the important background stuff and getting people CRBed only for them to disappear off the face of the earth the minute we then start talking about actually doing some volunteering. I sometimes think they do it to get the CRB and have no intention of actually volunteering with us.

[Bubble3082 10]

That has happened to me at least half a dozen times: I've gone to a lot of trouble and spent a lot of time sorting out the important background stuff and getting people CRBed only for them to disappear off the face of the earth the minute we then start talking about actually doing some volunteering. I sometimes think they do it to get the CRB and have no intention of actually volunteering with us.

 

I volunteer at our local school and they told me about a new system that's been implemented where volunteers no longer need to be CRB checked to help out. Just photo ID is required now. Its a fairly new system but designed to make volinteering easier and cheaper for the schools.

Edited February 1, 2013 by Bubble3082

[michdia 10]

There is an agency in town, above Blue Arrow on High St. They specialise in education. I went to presentation they did at my kids school. They seemed very helpful and willing to take on people looking for volunteer roles in schools. I must also say your childs school is not very helpful. My kids school actively encourage and help parents pursue getting into any type of work. I have done a couple of courses there and I am currently on a Teaching support course myself and I am waiting for my CRB to come back so I can do my work experience there. I'm just not allowed to work in my childrens years.