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Good Practice: Dementia and Befriending

Wednesday 17th June 2026
10:00 - 13:30

£117.00

  • Zoom

Great session and really appreciate that we were offered a free follow-up session – great to get a few weeks to review content and come back with questions and comments.

Purpose of Course

Dementia and Befriending was developed in response to strong demand from befriending organisations. It builds confidence in handling dementia referrals, supports the development of in-house dementia training, and helps create a dementia-friendly service using good practice guidance. The course is suitable for staff and/or trustees.

  • Unsure how to best support service users with dementia 
  • Unsure how to train volunteers so they feel confident about their role and abilities to make a positive impact through dementia befriending 
  • Unsure how to risk assess a match or location for dementia befriending 
  • Unsure whether dementia referrals are appropriate for their project 

Resources and Additional Support

This course is divided into five key elements across a blended learning approach. Attend our training event, and complete the independent learning in your own time.

Dementia Training Toolkit

Resources, activities, and information for training staff and/or volunteers to better support those with dementia. All materials and training activities can be taken, altered, and/or used within your project as you see fit. The training toolkit can be adapted to accommodate in-person and distance befriending.

Good Practice Guide

Supporting People with Dementia: Guidance on running a befriending project that supports service users with dementia. This includes risk assessing a home and befriending match for dementia, recruiting and training dementia befrienders, and more. This Good Practice Guide is exclusive to this course.

Virtual Class

Participants partake in activities and discussions from our Dementia Training Toolkit, developing their knowledge and understanding, while accessing a Train the Trainer session.

Follow-up Session

Participants are invited to a 1-hour follow-up session, where the class can reunite, share learning and ideas, reflect on course materials, ask questions, and more.

Delegate Pack

All participants receive access to a delegate pack with resources, video tutorials, and exclusive materials, including the Dementia Training Toolkit and Good Practice Guide. The pack also includes research on the positive impact of befriending in dementia care. Access is provided for approximately one month.

Frequently asked questions

What topics are covered in the training event and toolkit?
  • Demystifying Dementia
  • Understanding befriending and its role
  • Putting yourself in their shoes
  • Representation in the media
  • Communication and breaking barriers
  • Building relationships with carers
  • Change reacting, recording and reporting
  • Getting supported
What topics are covered in the Good Practice Guide for Supporting People with Dementia?
  • Service User Referrals and Assessments
  • Volunteer Recruitment and Selection
  • Training Volunteers
  • Supporting Volunteers
  • Matching
  • Ending Relationships
  • Supporting Service Users Through Transitions
  • Monitoring and Evaluation
Are there resources made specifically for volunteers?
  1. Being a dementia befriender. This booklet includes guidance on communication, activities, and the impact of befriending.
  2. The impact of befriending in dementia cases – what the research demonstrates. This resource helps advocate for the powerful impact of befriending and meaningful connections on those living with dementia. This booklet aims to support projects with volunteer recruitment and retention.
  3. Telephone Befriending Guide. This is a fantastic resource from one of our members, Time to Talk Befriending, providing advice for creating meaningful connections with people with dementia over the phone.
  4. Training Handouts. The course materials also provide training handouts for activities within the training toolkit. These could be used as individual or group activities.

Your training toolkit is fabulous – absolutely incredible, I have signposted it to everyone – it is amazing how much detail is included in all the elements! Thank you.

Course Structure and Time Commitment

This 3.5-hour course includes discussion, interactive activities, and key theory on dementia befriending and running a dementia-friendly service. Due to the level of detail and information within the delegate pack, a complementary one-hour session is arranged within one-month of the class. This is optional and designed to support further discussion and questions.

Loved the part on the representation of dementia in the media – the whole toolkit addressed issues I am aware of but the course amplified my awareness – great food for thought and I feel I could train volunteers now.

Questions?

Want to learn more about the course and resources to ensure they are appropriate for your service? Get in contact with the course facilitator, Victoria@befriending.co.uk

Accessibility: All Zoom events have live closed captions available. Please notify our Learning and Development Manager, victoria@befriending.co.uk, if you have accessibility requirements to help us be inclusive of your needs. 

Cancellation Policy

Please check your diary before committing to any dates. We understand that your circumstances may require a change of training dates. If you need to cancel or defer your order:

  • Up to 48 hours before the course begins: your order will be refunded, subject to a £15 administration fee. Alternatively, you can defer your order to the next occurrence of the same course.
  • Within 48 hours of the course beginning, including non-attendance: your order is non-refundable and cannot be deferred.

Please note that all courses operate with a minimum number of delegates. If this number is not obtained, we reserve the right to cancel or reschedule the event date. Your event facilitator will contact you to discuss options. In such cases where we cannot fulfil your order, a full refund will be given. You can contact the facilitator of your event, or victoria@befriending.co.uk to discuss your booking.

8 tickets available

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