38: Involving volunteers in delivering services for vulnerable families

NSPCC Learning Podcast

Volunteers play an important role in helping to engage vulnerable families in a service and can provide ongoing peer support on a one-to-one basis. We commissioned a review that explores current research evidence on involving volunteers in delivering services to support families and examine the outcomes for parents, children and volunteers.
In this episode, we’re joined by the authors of the review, Dr. Louca-Mai Brady and Berni Graham, as well as Dr Georgia Hyde-Dryden, who is a part of the NSPCC’s Development and Impact Team. You’ll hear us discuss the key findings and best practices identified from the literature review, including:

• how we undertook the research
• the services volunteers provided to families and how this work was carried out
• challenges that need to be considered when involving volunteers in service delivery
• the evidence on volunteer support to families
• how the NSPCC will use this research to inform future opportunities.

Read the podcast transcript on the NSPCC Learning website.
💬 About the speakers
Dr Louca-Mai Brady is a researcher, trainer and consultant who has worked in the voluntary and public sector and academia. She has particular interests and expertise in qualitative and participative research methods, research with children and young people, disability and health and social care. She also holds a part-time role as a Senior Research Fellow at NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, UCL.
Berni Graham is an independent social researcher and evaluator. Most of her work relates to children, young people and families and services run for them by UK public sector and voluntary and community sector agencies. Her research and evaluation typically explores life challenges such as poverty, disability and access to support, and framing these in a policy or practice context to help improve services.
Dr Georgia Hyde-Dryden is a Development Researcher for the NSPCC’s Development and Impact team. She is involved in a range of research and insights projects to inform the organisation’s evidence-based service development. Prior to joining us three years ago, she was a Research Associate at the Centre for Child and Family Research at Loughborough University where she was involved in research and evaluation with a primary focus on looked after children, care leavers and children on the edge of care.
📚 Related resources

> Discover volunteering opportunities at the NSPCC

> Find out how we can help you with community needs or campaigns

> Explore all our services for children and families

> See our COVID-19 information and resources for voluntary and community groups

Intro/outro music is Lights by Sappheiros