Are you able to support young people and make a difference? Can you spare a couple hours a week or fortnight to help a young person access social opportunities in their local area? Fife Young Carers has a volunteering opportunity as a Befriending Volunteer. Fife Young Carers offers a Befriender and Young Carer the opportunity to form a trusting, supportive, reliable relationship. This role enables young carers to access social activities they might not be able to access currently. Befrienders might take a young person to a Café, arcades, bowling or even just a walk as well as group activities and days out organised by FYC. What’s important is that it allows them to have fun and spend some time away from their caring role. Most befriending activities will take place in the evening although there will be more morning and afternoon opportunities during holidays/weekends.

We are looking for volunteer visitors to join the National Visitors Network, our national befriending scheme for older people that provides companionship to older people experiencing loneliness or social isolation. Befrienders visit older people in their homes and provide regular chat/conversations (weekly/fortnightly or monthly as determined). Full training and good ongoing support is provided to all volunteers. A great, enjoyable opportunity to help and make a real difference. For more details please contact: David Tickner Email: david.tickner@csrf.org.uk / tel.: 020 8691 7411

Would you like to support someone through their cancer journey? Tayside Cancer Support offers a free, confidential, one-to-one befriending service for those affected by cancer in the Tayside and the surrounding area. This service is provided by volunteer befrienders who have received relevant and professional training prior to working with clients. Although the charity is a voluntary organisation, the commitment of our volunteers is essential, as we pride ourselves in offering sensitive, yet professional support. Referrals for the befriending service are generally received from local hospital wards, doctors, nurses and other health professionals, but we also welcome referrals from individuals who feel that a family member or indeed, they themselves would benefit from this support. We’d love to hear from you if you’d like to become a befriender, here’s what’s involved: • No experience necessary, all training and supervision is provided • You can communicate with your client either on the phone or in person • The commitment is a minimum 1 hour a month • A good listening ear! We ask that all new befrienders attend our befriending course. This lasts for around 18 hours and includes the following sessions:- • Introduction to Tayside Cancer Support Policies Procedures and Boundaries • Working with People • Listening & Communication Skills • Different types of cancer and its treatment • Handling Grief • Working with other charities and partner agencies Once the course is completed successfully, you will be matched with a client to begin the befriending journey. From there you and the client decide what is the best way for you to communicate and how often. This might be in their home, in a coffee shop, online or on the phone. Whatever is suitable for them. If you think this is for you, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us for a further discussion by clicking on the button below.

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.'