Visiting Friends SCIO
Visiting Friends SCIO
About Visiting Friends SCIO
Visiting Friends provides volunteer befrienders for any adult in Helensburgh and Lomond who might be feeling lonely or isolated. We understand the importance of friendship and staying connected. We also know it might be difficult to have the confidence to join a group or make new friends especially if you are not able to get out and about on your own, or are housebound due to a health condition. That’s where we can help! Our clients are carefully matched with one volunteer who will make a weekly visit The friends can go out for a coffee, stay in and chat or perhaps even go for a drive, if we have a suitable volunteer. Visiting Friends also normally holds regular coffee mornings for the friends throughout the year and ensures that issues like transport are addressed to ensure that you can attend.
First Floor, 101-103 East Clyde Street, Helensburgh, Argyll And Bute, G84 7PJ
Service Eligibility
We accept referrals for all adults over the age of 18 across Helensburgh and Lomond, from: the Health and Social Care Partnership, organisations, families, friends and individuals wishing to self refer. If you are an organisation or HSCP referrer please email us for our referral form, otherwise please email or phone us.
Our Co-ordinator Debbie will make a home visit to assess all potential clients and we need their permission to contact them to arrange this. We will keep you informed of our progress once the referral is made.
If you would like us to meet with your organisation to discuss the service that we offer, then please let us know.
Please note: unfortunately we find it difficult to find volunteers to befriend people living with dementia and so we can only occasionally offer our services to this client group, and only if the person has mild/early dementia.
Information for Volunteers
We invite volunteers to join us who are 18yrs + and from all walks of life, who can visit their friend once a week (normally an afternoon) for a couple of hours. Don’t worry! we ensure our clients understand you may have other commitments too.
Once matched we keep in touch regularly with both you and your friend to ensure things run smoothly and ask you to attend a 3 hour very small, informal and friendly induction session with other new volunteers.
We like to meet you to find out what you would like from your volunteering experience with Visiting Friends. This allows us to ensure that we match you with the ‘right’ person, on a day that suits and in an area that you are happy to visit. All our volunteers must provide two character references and agree to undergo a PVG/disclosure check (you do not pay for this). Once the paperwork is done, the matching begins!
More InformationAge Groups
Adults (25-65), Older Adults (65+)Themes
Carers, Dementia/Memory loss, Sensory Impairment, Older PeopleRegions
Country: Scotland
Scottish Regions: Highland
Other Regions:
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