Argyll and Bute Befrienders

Recruiting Volunteers

About Argyll and Bute Befrienders

Argyll and Bute Befrienders SCIO provides emotional and social support to children and young people aged 6-18, living in Argyll and Bute who are affected by adversity or social isolation. We match children and young people on a 1:1 basis with a suitable volunteer befriender in their community. We provide training, support and supervision and reimburse all travel and other expenses. References and PVG checks are required.

PO Box 9576, Argyll Street, Lochgilphead, Argyll, PA31 9BB

Service Eligibility

We are only able to accept referrals for young people who:

are aged 6 – 16
live in Argyll and Bute
are experiencing/are affected by some form of adversity or disadvantage
are experiencing/are at risk of social isolation

We are unable to accept referrals for young people who:

do not consent to the referral
require personal care
need to be supervised by more than one adult for safety reasons
have experienced a recent bereavement (in the past 6 months)

Information for Volunteers

Purpose of the Role

To provide one to one support to clients who need a little extra emotional and/or social support from a positive and nurturing adult.
To be an empathetic and compassionate listener for clients who may not have others they feel comfortable talking to.
To help clients develop their resilience, social skills and confidence through consistent and reliable contact and supporting them to engage in a variety of activities.

Responsibilities

To complete induction training provided/
To commit to befriending for at least 6 months.
To respect confidentiality, autonomy and personal choice.
To share information as necessary with the appropriate parties.
To adhere to the Professional and Personal Boundaries as set out in the Befrienders Handbook.
To adhere to all policies and procedures.

More Information

Age Groups

Children (0-18)

Themes

Care Experienced People, Ethnic Minority Communities, Learning Disabilities, Lone Parent Families, Mental Health, Sensory Impairment, Refugees/Asylum Seekers, Disability, Children and Young People

Regions

Country: Scotland

Highland

Other Information

Type of Befriending: Face to face befriending which takes place in the home or community

Who can refer: Self Referrals Accepted, Friends & Family Referrals Accepted, Professional Referrals Accepted