The Quality in Befriending Award is the only award in the UK specifically tailored for befriending services and is valued by referrers, befrienders, commissioners, and funders. Developed by Befriending Networks in consultation with member organisations and experts in the field of befriending, the award launched in 2010 and was revised and updated in 2021.
The Award is open to services offering befriending of all kinds, supporting everyone from children and young people to older adults. Whether you offer telephone, group, or one-to-one befriending, the Quality Award provides you with the opportunity to review and improve your service.
There are two different levels of Quality Award that an organisation can aim towards. The award is assessed through a series of indicators, with the option for an organisation to upgrade its standard award to Excellence by successfully meeting additional requirements.
Organisations who have successfully completed the Quality Award enjoy a range of benefits, including:
Increased confidence in the organisation from potential referrers, befriendees and befrienders, as well as funders, commissioners and other stakeholders.
The chance to review and reflect upon all aspects of the service.
An audit of the organisation’s policies and suggestions on how the quality of the befriending service can be improved.
A certificate and the use of the Quality Award logo, as well as inclusion in our online Quality Database.
How long does the Award last?
Once accredited, your service will hold the Quality Award for three years.
You will be invited to apply for reaccreditation in years 3 and 6 by providing evidence to satisfy the reaccreditation indicators and retain Quality Award status.
After nine years, you will be required to complete the full accreditation process again to retain your Quality Award.
Hear from current Award holders…
We recommend the Award as it has given us confidence in the quality and processes of our befriending service, a morale booster for staff and volunteers, and confidence when promoting the service to partners and funders. Befriending Networks were brilliant from start to finish.
Community Together CIC
Being quality assured means that our service is fully aligned with Quality in Befriending guidelines and allows us to provide a best practice service to our clients and volunteers. It has also been hugely beneficial for funding opportunities. The Quality Award demonstrates that we are robust, effective, and aligned with a best-practice delivery framework.
London Irish Centre
It’s always useful to review your service, update and tighten processes where needed, and have the benefit of expertise and advice from a different perspective. As a bonus, it’s great to be able to use the Quality Award logo, which is a quick and straight-forward way to demonstrate you meet a required level of practice.
INtegr8 Befriending Service
Having a nationally recognised accreditation is essential to further development and obtaining future funding and partners. It has been useful in our organisation’s efforts to obtain support and care contracts where this sort of service is highly regarded and beneficial to overall care and support.
The Move On Support Service provides social and emotional support to young people aged 16-25 who have previously been affected by homelessness and who are living in the City of…
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The Age UK Telephone Friendship service matches older isolated people to volunteers with mutual interests for a weekly 30 minute call, to help combat loneliness and social isolation.
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Omega Ending Isolation, Ending Loneliness, a charity dedicated to reducing social isolation and loneliness for all adults. We offer Chatterbox, a free telephone befriending service and Letterbox, a free pen-pal…
Befriending service for young people aged 10-21 with things going on in their lives which affect mental health wellbeing. Issues are around confidence & self-esteem & the things which impact…
YPBS provides a high quality service to young people aged 8-18 who are coping with difficult circumstances in their lives. Whether this is because of unusual pressures in the family,…
West Norfolk befriending works to decrease isolation among older people in West Norfolk. Many have become isolated due to a change in physical condition or as they have become an…
Supported Volunteering Project and Emotional and Well Being Project
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The Welcoming supports New Scots (refugees, asylum seekers and migrants) in Edinburgh by providing a range of services, including: English language classes, employability support, home energy advice, a community fridge,…
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STAR Project is an award winning community organisation, delivering sustainable and positive social outcomes in the North End of Paisley and beyond. Established in 1999, employing a person centred approach…
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Space for Youth Befriending provides children and young people aged 5 – 16 years, living citywide in Edinburgh with a volunteer befriender once a week for 2 to 3 hours…
SDCVS Connect Befriending Service is a free service funded by Derbyshire County Council to deliver a vital lifeline to South Derbyshire residents who are 18 years + and feeling lonely…
Befriending service for patients of St Barnabas House – providing companionship to help relieve isolation or boredom- assist with taking a person out for practical or social reasons- provide company…
A friendly, weekly conversation, with a kind listening ear. One on one calls with the same person every week aimed at lifting people out of isolation and helping those experiencing…
Our Befriending Service provides support to Irish community members over 55 years, who are experiencing loneliness/isolation and live in London. We deliver a blended approach offering both telephone and in…
Kincardine & Deeside Befriending recruits, trains and supports volunteer befrienders who are matched with isolated & lonely older people (55+) living independently in their own homes to provide social contact.
LEAP works in a number of communities within the South Lanarkshire area providing a free befriending and handyperson service, and activities and classes, to people aged 50 and over who…
The Kent Coast Volunteering Good Neighbours Service is a befriending service for older people (over 60) living in the Thanet, Dover and Folkestone & Hythe districts. We provide volunteers of…
Linking Lives Eastbourne is a befriending scheme for people over the age of 65 who are living alone, connecting them with volunteers who offer friendship through visiting, telephone chats or…
Kingdom Abuse Survivor Project (KASP) is a registered Scottish charity and a company limited by guarantee with more than 25 years’ experience of providing services to women and men who…
The Young Carers Project which is part of the Kingston Carers Network run a mentoring programme for young carers aged 10 – 18 years old in the London borough of…
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Fairway Fife is a Peer Mentoring Charity involving people with learning disabilities from 16 years of age. Our aim is to encourage and support access to social and leisure facilities…
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Care for the Family is a UK charity that aims to promote strong family life and support those who face family difficulties. Our work is focused on three areas: Parenting,…
Community Together CIC is a not for profit organisation providing a holistic set of services specialising in: Providing a 7 Day per week Telephone Support Service Befriending: Telephone, Face to…
Our Befriending service Well Connected helps individuals who may be struggling with low social contact, loneliness, isolation and low mental health. Volunteering as a Befriender means you can support someone…
CACE has been running for over 30 years, providing Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, Croy and surrounding villages with much needed support for the elderly and Isolated. We run a variety of different…
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At Befriend a Child we support children and young people growing up in difficult life circumstances across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to achieve their full potential and develop into confident and…
Bfriend (registered South Ayrshire Befriending Project)
Bfriend
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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.
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ALONE’s Support & Befriending service provides companionship and practical support to older people who would like extra social contact. Trained and Garda-vetted volunteers provide weekly visits or telephone calls which…
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