Are you passionate about improving outcomes for our young people? Can you spare one evening a week? We are looking for volunteers to take on one-to-one befriender roles. As a befriender, you will plan activities for your young person, such as cinema trips and outings to local attractions, offering them opportunities to grow in confidence and improve their well-being. In return, you will be fully supported by our dedicated staff, reimbursed for any expenses relating to your voluntary role and, of course, have the opportunity to make a positive difference to the life of a young person.

The befriender will be matched up to the befriendee by having the same interests and hobbies. On average the pair will meet up once a week and undertake a range of activities depending on a preferred choice, (e.g. meeting for coffee, going for a walk). This opportunity will give the befriender a chance to do something worthwhile in the full knowledge that it is much appreciated.

One to One Volunteer Befriender Person Specification Essential Advantageous Personal Qualities • Warm, friendly and encouraging • Interested in supporting people • Reliable, honest and trustworthy • Able to maintain confidentiality • Empathic and understanding attitude • Conscientious and self-motivated • Able to keep calm in stressful situations • Flexible • Clean driving licence and access to a car • Good sense of humour • Happy to be in the presence of dogs (Guide Dogs) Experience • Previous one to one volunteering experience • Previous experience of people with sight loss and hearing loss Knowledge/Understanding • Knowledge and understanding of issues faced by people with sensory loss Skills • Good communication/ Interpersonal skills • Good listening skills • Ability to recognise and respect other people’s boundaries • Ability to recognise and apply own limits and boundaries • Ability to attend and make use of support and supervision • Open to ongoing training as required • Ability to promote confidence and independence Values • Accepting the person for who they are – being non-judgemental • Respecting others as being of equal worth • Respecting other’s choices, lifestyles and rights • Not imposing own values and beliefs • Appreciating differences (e.g. race, culture, gender etc.) • Able to view someone as a person, not a stereotype   ROLE DESCRIPTION GROUP VOLUNTEER . Who are we looking for? We are looking for friendly and reliable people who enjoy the company of others. Sensory Awareness training will be provided and so no previous experience of working with people who has sight/hearing loss is required. A PVG check will be required for this role, and we would be looking for a minimum of 6 months commitment. Tasks • To provide company and emotional support • To assist service user to develop social contacts by joining community events and social groups • To support a service user with shopping • To provide telephonic befriending when necessary • To accompany service user to café or for a healthy walk • To Commit minimum 6 hours per month. We are looking for volunteer/s who drive and can assist our service users with transport. But not driving would not exclude you from being suitable for the role. Volunteers are particularly required in the Arbroath area. Training & Support • Induction training will be provided by Cilmi Eldho. North East Sensory Service’s (NESS) Volunteer Coordinator in Angus. • Sensory Awareness Training will be provided by Libby Hillhouse, the Training and Information Officer • Support in the voluntary role will also be provided by Cilmi Eldho. • Out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed through NESS. Contact for Application form: Cilmi Eldho NESS Volunteer Coordinator (Angus) 07720 811896, cilmi.eldho@nesensoryservices.org

Across West Dunbartonshire, many people live alone and can often feel isolated. The reasons for this will be varied - they may have difficulty leaving the house alone, have no close family or friends, or have lost confidence after illness or a life-change. In every case, what is missing is someone like you. Everyone gets older and we are living longer. It can become harder to make new friends and connections as we leave work, grow apart, see family move away and deal with health issues. The aim of the initiative is to support people to feel they are involved in their communities and build their confidence to be as active as they can - we need your help to make it happen. With your help, someone in our community could feel supported, less alone and more able to get out and about. If this sounds like you, all we ask is a few hours every week of your time, over a year. We will be here to provide any help and support you need. In return you will have the satisfaction that your support has made all the difference in someone else’s life. Please help us. You will understand that for everyone safety you will be asked to go through a PVG (police) check. WDCVS VISA employability scheme is where volunteers who are actively looking for work can brush up on the skills that employers are looking for, the VISA certificate highlights the skills that the volunteer has achieved in their volunteer role, the certificate can be created and sent to them as a PDF.