Befriend a Child

Charity registered in Scotland SC005467

At Befriend a Child we support school-aged children in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire who are growing up in difficult life circumstances. We match them with trained volunteers or ‘Befrienders’ or ‘Mentors’ who act as positive role models to help children develop resilience, self-confidence, and self-esteem.


Current opportunities

We are currently seeking passionate individuals to join our Board of Trustees. In particular, we are looking for new Directors with skills and experience in one or more of the following areas: Education, Social Work, Marketing / Fundraising and Communications and IT. The new roles will join a small dedicated team of Trustees already in place and will help to strengthen the Board and lead the organisation into the future. This is a great opportunity for someone who has an understanding of charity or similar corporate governance. The role will be to support the leadership of the charity and drive forward the organisational strategy. The full Board meets quarterly for 2-3 hours on a Monday evening. Smaller committees may meet staff more regularly in relation to specific areas of work. The role is a voluntary one, reasonable expenses will be reimbursed with training provided at no cost. If you are interested in this opportunity please contact Sarah Misra, CEO, Befriend a Child, sarah@befriendachild.org.uk, 01224 210060 for more information and an application pack.

Could you be a role model for a young person who would really benefit from your time? By giving just 2-3 hours a week you could be that positive, trusted and fun role model that a young person aged 8-14 really needs. You will meet weekly with your mentee for a minimum of 12 months, your mentee will experience quality one-to-one time with a consistent caring and reliable adult. Through being a good listener, an empathic individual with a non-judgmental attitude a positive mentoring relationship can develop by doing activities that you both enjoy. Popular activities involve baking & cooking, arts & crafts, playing football, going to the beach or local forest walks, ice-skating or just enjoying a milkshake at a local café. You have the potential to make a real difference in a young persons life by helping build confidence and self-esteem and most importantly being someone they can talk to about anything. This role is subject to an application form being submitted, providing 2 references and completing a PVG Disclosure (is free for volunteers-details and PVG provided on application). For further details please contact: Aleisha Douglas, Intandem Volunteer co-ordinator at Email: info@befriendachild.org.uk or phone: 01224 210060.

Are you a good listener, non-judgemental and empathetic with an ability to relate to traumatic life experiences that some of the children/young people referred to us may have faced? Befriend a Child is a local charity that provides 1:1 befriending and mentoring services for school aged children and young people. We recruit caring adults who act as role models for school-aged children who face some kind of disadvantage. They spend time together on a 1:1 basis, talking, sharing and having fun. Could that be you? If you are reliable and fun-loving, with a positive disposition and you can commit to sparing a few hours each month, you could make a huge difference in a young person’s life. There are a number of fantastic benefits to becoming a volunteer with Befriend a Child such as: • Access to training and upskilling opportunities • The chance to play an active role in shaping the future of a child or young person • Ongoing support from our expert team • The opportunity to build transferable skills for your future and career • The chance to expand your horizons and try new activities • Being part of an amazing volunteer community All help makes a real difference and is greatly appreciated. For more information/to register your interest please visit https://www.befriendachild.org.uk/Listing/Category/volunteer-with-us and/or email us at volunteer@befriendachild.org.uk