BEfriend

We provide one-to-one befriending for adults living in the London Boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow and have three projects:

-Core Befriending: If you or someone you know lives alone, is isolated and feels lonely. We will match you with a trained volunteer who will visit you every week and support you to go out if you would like, or just keep you company in your home.

-Linked Minds: If you or someone you know lives alone and has become isolated because of a mental health problem. We will match you with a trained volunteer who will meet with you weekly for a year and help you on the road to recovery.

-Telephone Befriending- for those who would prefer a phone call to a physical visit.

All our volunteers are trained in Befriending, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults have been DBS checked. Volunteers also have specific training in Dementia Awareness and Mental Health support if they are working with people with these needs. We will carefully select a volunteer who we think you will really get on well with and our staff in the office will continue to provide ongoing support over the phone as needed.

Information for volunteers

We are looking for volunteers for our 3 projects:

-Core Befriending: usually an older person who is isolated

-Linked Minds: someone of any age (over 18) who has become isolated because of a mental health problem

-Telephone Befriending- a weekly phone call to the same person.

We require you to have an informal interview, supply 2 references and have a DBS check (paid for by us). You will also need to complete Befriending Training and Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults training, and other additional training in Dementia and Mental Health if relevant. We provide ongoing supervision and support groups as well as regular volunteer meet-ups so you can get to know other volunteers. We will provide a reference for you once you have been volunteering for 6 months.