Changing Futures Volunteering

18/09/2026

Thank you to Hartlepool Borough Council for raising awareness of Independent Visiting!

Send us a message if you’re interested in learning more about how you can become a befriender for looked after children and young people in Hartlepool 📍

🤝🏻 𝗕𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿. 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱 🤝🏻

Hartlepool Borough Council is looking for reliable, fun volunteers to become befrienders for young people living in its care.

☺️ Independent Visitors spend time with a child or young person twice a month for a minimum of two years, building a friendship by sharing fun experiences together.

🫶 They can have a huge and lasting impact on young people’s lives, providing a consistent and safe friendship for young people who may not have many other positive relationships.

We ask that you are:

• over the age of 21
• either able to drive with access to a car, or comfortable using public transport
• living in the Hartlepool area
• available on weekends and evenings, outside of school and college hours
• willing to get to know somebody new, and to have fun!

The Independent Visitors scheme is delivered on behalf of the Council by Changing Futures North East, which provides a DBS check and full training. All activity and mileage expenses are reimbursed, so all we need is your time.

✳️ Please note that Independent Visitors are adults who are separate from social care and the existing care team, therefore we are unable to match children and young people with those who work directly with Looked After Children.

🌐📱📧 For more details or to apply, visit www.futures-through-friendship.co.uk or contact Liv Dunn, Service Coordinator, on 01429 891444 or email [email protected]

🗣️ Alternatively, you can chat to the Changing Futures Team at their stall at Seaham car boot sale on Sunday 20 September from 9am to 3pm or Dalton Park on Saturday 26 September from 9am to 5pm.

16/09/2026

📣 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 📣

We currently have 50 young people, aged between 6 and 17, awaiting a volunteer Independent Visitor across Teesside!

Independent Visitors are adult befrienders who are matched on a one-to-one basis with a child or young person living in foster care. The idea is that you go out together twice a month to do fun activities and hopefully form a lasting and consistent friendship.

Why volunteer with us?
• All volunteers are fully trained in-house by our dedicated team
• DBS check provided free of charge, unless you already have one
• Volunteers are fully supported throughout, with an assigned team member to help you through the matching process and beyond
• Volunteers are matched with a young person based on personality and shared interests, to make sure it’s fun for you both!
• Volunteer expenses and mileage are reimbursed on a weekly basis
• Opportunities to meet likeminded fellow Volunteers and to join us on funded group activities

📥 send us a message to learn more, or comment below and we’ll get in touch 😊

28/08/2026

We’re looking forward to seeing you there to talk all things volunteering and fostering! 🤍

Changing Futures Fostering and Changing Futures Volunteering will be at Owton Lodge in Hartlepool on Sunday 30th August to answer any questions you may have about fostering and volunteering, please pop along and say hi! 🙋‍♀️

Looking forward to seeing you ☺️

14/07/2026

On Saturday, we visited Forbidden Corner for our summer Independent Visitors trip!

It was a great day out exploring the mazes, forts and gardens. We were so fortunate with the lovely sunny weather and it sounds like a great time was had by all 🌞

This trip was funded by the sponsored Helvellyn climb the team completed back in April. Thank you so much to all who donated. Your contribution allowed 17 young people and their Independent Visitors to have a day out together, having fun and making memories 🤗

15/06/2026

Our Independent Visitors came along to our summer social at Changing Futures tonight - and what a great night we had!

We enjoyed a homemade meal together before moving on to glass painting. It turns out we have some secret artists amongst us 👩🏼‍🎨

Thank you all for coming, mingling and for being such a fantastic group of volunteers.

If you’re interested in joining a growing group of dedicated Independent Visitors in Teesside, matched one-to-one with a looked after child with the intention of forming a friendship and having fun, please get in touch! 📥

05/06/2026

We’re almost at the end of ! Today we’re hearing from one of our volunteer Independent Visitors, Louise, who’s been matched with a 13 year old living in foster care for a couple of years:

“I’ve been volunteering as an Independent Visitor with Changing Futures North East since 2024, and I’ve found it to be such a rewarding experience. After stepping away from a career in education a few years ago, I really missed those meaningful one-to-one interactions with young people. My match with a 13-year-old boy has given me the opportunity to be a consistent and reliable adult for a young person again.

The training I received was fascinating and gave me the confidence and knowledge I needed to get started. What’s made an even bigger difference is the ongoing support from the volunteer team at Changing Futures. There’s always someone there if I have questions or need guidance.

One of my favourite parts of volunteering has been the group trips organised by the team, getting to know other Independent Visitors and spending time with our young people by having fun and exploring somewhere new. My young person loves these days out too – we still talk about our day at Flamingo Land last year! Maybe next time he’ll manage to get me on a rollercoaster…

For me, this experience has been about building trust, offering consistency, and making a positive impact, no matter how small it might seem. I’ve gained just as much as I’ve given.

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering, I’d really encourage you to take that first step. It might feel like a big decision, but it’s absolutely worth it. You never know the difference you could make to someone’s life – and to your own!”

If you’d like to hear more about volunteering, or think you could be a consistent adult in a young person’s life like Louise, we’d love to hear from you! 🫶🏻

03/06/2026

Today we are continuing our celebrations at the Stockton Volunteers charity event in Wellington Square (opposite Bluecorn Bakery)

Liv & Jodie are here 10-2 to talk all things volunteering with Changing Futures. Come and say hello - we have sweets!

02/06/2026

This , we’re celebrating all our fantastic Independent Visitors by sharing some of their stories with you.

First up, we’re hearing from our Befriending Service Co-Ordinator, Liv, who started off as a volunteer Independent Visitor back in 2021…

“I graduated from university in 2020 – a difficult year for everyone! I had no idea what to do next, but with lots of time on my hands, I began the search for volunteering opportunities in the Teesside area. That’s when I came across Changing Futures North East and applied to become an Independent Visitor.

After completing the training, I was matched with a teenage girl living in foster care. We spent time together twice a month, trying out new restaurants and getting to know each other. I became someone she could really open up to and I always enjoyed my time with her.

A few months later, I saw a job advert for a position on the service that I was already volunteering on – so it only felt natural to go for it! I got the job in December 2021 and started after the New Year. I’ve worked on the Independent Visitors service ever since, and I continue to volunteer alongside this.

Deciding to volunteer is one of the best things I’ve ever done. It’s so rewarding, and I wouldn’t be in my current role without it.”

Are you looking at next steps in your career? 🤔
Or interested in a rewarding and fun voluntary role?
Let us know by dropping us a message! 📨

20/04/2026

⛰️ WE DID IT!!! ⛰️

We are so proud of our staff team and foster parents for successfully climbing Helvellyn on Saturday!

The weather wasn’t on their side but everyone pushed through the wind and rain to get to the summit.

The team have raised over £1000 in online & cash donations, which is just incredible. All donations go towards a group activity for our volunteer Befrienders and young people. Thank you so much for your support 🤍

You’ve got until Sunday to make a donation if you would like to - we’ll post the link in the comments below.

What should we climb next?? 👀

13/04/2026

Our sponsored climb of Helvellyn is taking place THIS WEEKEND!! ⛰️

Any donations to support our team of staff and foster parents as they climb England’s third highest peak will go such a long way. All funds go towards arranging more fantastic group days out for our Independent Visitors and their young people.

Do you have a few pounds to spare? 🙏🏼

https://app.collectionpot.com/pot/3478971?fbclid=IwdGRjcARKGLhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEejYmSObQt6ynzoiCdRzUOoTJpy9FJfLjTu7M36dAHcwL9BtNuQcoDNXXgXk8_aem_ORvXayVIwtQeql9jsWQWyA