Ecas
Ecas Befriending Service
About Ecas
Ecas Befriending Service offers friendship and companionship for isolated, physically disabled adults living in Edinburgh. If you are in contact with someone who is isolated due to a physical disability we would like to hear from you. By isolated we mean people who are not currently receiving support to attend classes, access their community or participate in leisure activities or whose social life is limited due to their impairment. They may have limited or no visits from their family or circle of friends. If a potential client is accessing community leisure services more than 1 day per week, they may not be regarded as a priority. Please review our criteria before submitting a referral. More information can be found on our website.
Ecas Ltd. Norton Park, 57 Albion Road, City of Edinburgh EH7 5QY, GB
Service Eligibility
We support adults (18+) in Edinburgh who are physically disabled and socially isolated.
We follow the EHRC guideline that: “You are disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.” However, we only provide support to people who have a physical disability.
The following conditions, on their own, do not meet our criteria: psychiatric disorders, learning difficulties, behavioural disorders, developmental delay, Down’s syndrome, autism, visual or hearing impairment, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, HIV and back pain.
By isolated we mean people who are not currently receiving support to attend groups, or whose social life is limited due to their impairment, e.g. limited or no visits from family or circle of friends.
Information for Volunteers
To find out more about volunteering as a befriender with Ecas, just get in touch with us via telephone, email or contact form to start the conversation. We will arrange a meeting with you to find out more about you and let you know how the service works. We are happy to have volunteers from all walks of life, and we work to remove any barriers to volunteering.
Volunteers visit their befriendees regularly (usually weekly for 1 to 2 hours) to provide fun and company, and even go on trips out. Befrienders are not responsible for providing any kind of personal care, administering medication, attending appointments or supporting with practical tasks.
A good befriender should be able to listen and communicate well with a befriendee and staff, to relate to our client group, be reliable and punctual, honest and respectful.
More InformationAge Groups
Young People (18-25), Adults (25-65)Themes
Special Health Condition, DisabilityRegions
Country: Scotland
LothianOther 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