We have older people waiting to be matched in the following areas: Edinburgh - EH4 1HS, EH12 5RB North Lanarkshire - G67 3LN, ML1 3HZ Perth & Kinross - PH2 0HF Food Train is an award winning charity providing services to older people who are no longer able to manage independently, through age, ill health, frailty or disability. The Connects service offers a volunteer matching service for grocery shopping, telephone befriending and meal delivery. Becoming a Food Train Connects Befriender is rewarding and it makes a huge difference to people’s lives. It’s amazing the impact that regular support and friendly company can have on someone who is isolated or lonely. If you want to make sure that an older person is able to live well in their own home, this is a great opportunity to do so. The Role: • Provide an effective befriending service for your befriendee . • Spend time with your befriendee, listen, chat and discuss various topics. • To report any matters of concern to Food Train staff including accidents, incidents or complaints. • To maintain confidentiality and adhere to boundaries. • To represent Food Train in a professional manner to members and the wider community.

Looking for a fulfilling and rewarding experience? Join our team at our care homes for the elderly as a volunteer and make a difference in the lives of our residents. Whether its befriending and chatting with our residents or organising and participating in leisure and social activities, your contribution will have a significant impact on their well-being and quality of life. As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to develop new skills, meet new people and create meaningful connections with our residents. Join us today and be a part of a community that values and appreciates the importance of companionship and human connection. Opportunities are available for weekdays or weekends, day time or early evening at: Glenfairn House Care Home-Sanctuary Care, 28 Racecourse Road, Ayr KA7 2UX Queens Care Home, 34 Ardayre Road, Prestwick KA9 1QL. We are a not-for-profit organisation specialising in care homes for the elderly and currently have over 110 care homes across England and Scotland. For more info, please go to https://www.sanctuary-care.co.uk/jobs/volunteering/how-apply-be-sanctuary-care-volunteer If you would like to help our care homes through volunteering, opportunities are available for weekdays or weekends, daytime or early evening. We are currently looking to recruit volunteer befrienders to spend time with our residents; to build positive relationships and, where appropriate, to facilitate time spent/trips out of the care home . For more info, please go to https://www.sanctuary-care.co.uk/jobs/volunteering/how-apply-be-sanctuary-care-volunteer to learn more and apply online.

Aberdeen Linking Lives is a befriending service generally aimed at the elderly who find themselves requiring some extra friendship and support. We match volunteers with older people who would like to see a friendly volunteer visitor on a regular basis for around one hour. Aberdeen Linking Lives relies on volunteers to deliver our service. Volunteers do not need any special skills as they receive full training, support and advice for their role. They also provide references and receive the necessary criminal record checks (PVG) prior to beginning visits (there is no cost for PVG checks for volunteers). If you would like to volunteer, please give us a call or email us for more information: E Mail: aberdeen@linkinglives.uk tel.: Shola, Aberdeen Linking Lives Coordinator on 07425622600. All help makes a difference to the lives of older people in Aberdeen and is greatly appreciated.

A great chance to join a friendly team as a Befriender. Are you a Parent? Would you like to help other parents? Can you spare a couple of hours each week? Come and join us! At ParentSpace, we believe parenting is the hardest and most important job in the world and all parents want to do the best possible job we can. We also believe that, just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to raise a parent. That’s where our Parent Befrienders come in. As a Parent Befriender, you will be a crucial part of the village we all need. The role includes: • Meeting with your befriendee(s) at a regular time which suits you both, either at their home or a mutually agreed place, online or by phone. • Offering unconditional, non judgemental support through active listening • Maintaining confidential notes • Attending monthly supervision, usually online • Attending ongoing training We offer a 6 week training package, covering all aspects of the role, such as communication and active listening, confidentiality, parental wellbeing and mental health, looking after our wellbeing as befrienders, boundaries and safeguarding. After this, we ask that you are available for 1-2 hours per week for the minimum of 12 months. Skills/Experience Required To be a ParentSpace Befriender, you need to be: • A parent yourself • Friendly, good at listening and able to offer non judgemental support • Available 1-2 hours per week plus additional time for ongoing training and supervision • Transport is helpful but not essential • Access to Internet to attend online training, supervision and complete notes We welcome parents with lived experience of the many challenges parenting can bring, such as postnatal depression, anxiety, bereavement, parenting children with additional needs… These are examples of some of the difficulties your befriendees may be dealing with and it can help to form a rapport if you have a similar experience. This what one of our current Befrienders says about the role: 'I started my training with Parentspace last autumn and was matched with a parent by December. I honestly wasn't expecting to meet so many lovely people. The training was thoughtful and thorough. The trainers were so encouraging and naturally the other trainees were friendly! I was relieved that I didn't have to have all the answers or be a perfect parent myself; my own struggles have shown me the difference this kind of support can make and they also make it easier to form a connection. The support from my supervisor and the ParentSpace team means I never feel isolated and has helped me build my confidence. Personally, I look forward to the befriending sessions and have had a lot of fun since I joined up.'