Core Skills in Befriending for Volunteers

"I found this course a helpful tool to learn more about what befriending means and to reflect on the different elements of the befriending role...I now feel better equipped to take on another befriending responsibility."

—Volunteer with Wycombe Refugee Trust

“The Volunteer Online Training is really handy. It enables training to be delivered to possible volunteers in small numbers, at a time when we are unable to recruit a larger group.”

—Coordinator with Integr8 West Lothian

About the Course

Core Skills in Befriending for Volunteers is an online training course that provides befrienders with fundamental knowledge and should be used alongside organisation-specific volunteer training. The course is made up of 10 modules:

Module 1 - What is Befriending?
Module 2 - Values and Attitudes in Befriending
Module 3 - Communication Skills
Module 4 - Building Befriending Relationships
Module 5 - The Matching Process
Module 6 - Boundaries and Confidentiality
Module 7 - Support and Supervision
Module 8 - Roles and Responsibilities within Befriending
Module 9 - Managing Endings
Module 10 - Befrienders as Community Connectors

While Befriending Networks provides the information via the learning platform, coordinators/volunteer managers are responsible for tracking their volunteers' progress through the course and giving them feedback online or in contact session. Guidance for coordinators about how to access and use the online learning platform be found here.

Some coordinators choose to have volunteers complete specific modules, while others require volunteers to complete all 10 to receive a certificate from Befriending Networks.

Cost

Core Skills in Befriending for Volunteers is only available Befriending Networks members and is a free resource. Each month, 10 member organisations may register places for up to 5 volunteers.