Emergency list Oberursel

Would you like to volunteer as a family visitor or godparent?

We are looking for volunteer family visitors and godparents

Emergency situations triggered by illness, separation, or burnout can happen to anyone. Emergency situations in families with infants and young children are often unseen and can be very serious. Nowadays, a lack of family and social ties can intensify a strenuous situation. There are support services available for such cases, but people are often unaware of them or “feel like help is far away”. This is where WELCOME FROM THE VERY BEGINNING - EARLY ON SUPPORT OBERURSEL comes into play. This project aims to directly and personally fill the gaps in the awareness and support to which young families have access. By providing trained family godparents, competent and reliable support services are made available. The project is coordinated and professionally overseen by the Oberursel town council. If necessary, a wide network of specialists can also be referred to.

You can support families as 

  • a volunteer, who offers practical help from time to time.
  • a family godparent, who provides everyday help as a regular contact to a family over a longer period of time.
  • a family visitor, who regularly performs the welcome visits, greeting the parents and their newborns on behalf of the Oberursel local council, informing them about help and support services.

For this challenging, yet important role we offer

  • expert support through our specialised coordination department,
  • further training such as communication with families, childhood accident prevention, how to keep an appropriate distance,
  • reflective meetings,
  • regular supervision,
  • opportunities to take part in community events such as the summer festival, Christmas party, and during trips.
  • This further training is compulsory but free of charge.

Still interested?

We are happy to support you in the decision-making process for one or several of these important roles.

Training overview

During the training, we look at different domains of social work as well as the role of volunteer workers in the new preventive services of the Oberursel (Taunus) town council. If you decide to undergo training, you are making a long-term commitment to this role. From both you as a volunteer and us as official employees of the Department of Family, Education, and Social Affairs, this project requires continuity and reliability.

The individual modules of training take place on the premises of the NEST-WERK e.V. association, at Ackergasse 28 in Oberursel. All training modules are obligatory, but you do not have to pay for them. The Oberursel town council provides refreshments and also food during the longer sessions.

After the foundation module, we will invite you to have a short personal chat. At this stage, you and the specialised coordinators have the chance to assess your further commitment as a volunteer.

After completion of each individual module, participants will receive a certificate.

If you are interested in the concept of our volunteer work and training, our specialised childcare coordinator Ms. Verena Winterle would be happy to meet you to discuss this in person.

Foundational training for all volunteers takes place on:

Dates will be announced shortly.

Content:

  • Introduction to the training
  • Getting to know the participants
  • Topic “helping” as a volunteer
  • (Motivation, rights, obligations, data protection)
  • Reflection on one’s own family ideology
  • Families in different phases of life
  • Families in different situations
  • Communication with families
  • Appointment for a short evaluation discussion with Ms. Winterle
  • Responding to child endangerment threats §8

Module 1 for all volunteers who would like to work with babies and young children

Dates will be announced shortly.

Content:

  • Baby care course
  • First aid on a child

Module 2 for volunteer family visitors and godparents

Dates will be announced shortly.

Content:

  • How to keep an appropriate distance
  • Building relationships and separation
  • Emotional sensitivity
  • Developing a bond with a young child
  • Possible support and relief services for families
  • Roleplay in order to explain support services
  • Content and procedure for a first meeting with a family and the coordination specialists
  • Appointment for a short evaluation discussion with Ms. Winterle

Module 3 for volunteer family visitors

Dates will be announced shortly.

Content:

  • Recap and further training on developing a bond with a young child
  • Risk and safety factors
  • Content and procedure for a family visit
  • Preparing and carrying out a family visit
  • Voucher book contents, services and points of contact for young families
  • Information about the possibility of help and support services
  • Networking
  • Custom-fit help
  • Answering questions from volunteers

Contact

For questions or advice our specialised childcare coordinator Ms. Verena Winterle would be happy to help you over the phone or in person.

Current dates can be supplied by the specialised coordination department:​

Welcome from the very beginning - Early On Support Oberursel
Ms. Verena Winterle
Tel.: 06171 502-235
Email: verena.winterle@oberursel.de