Befriending offers supportive, reliable relationships through volunteer befrienders to people who would otherwise be socially isolated.

Around the UK, there are befriending projects which organise effective support for young people, families, people with mental ill-health, people with learning disabilities and older people, amongst many others. Our programme supports adults living in Medway, but cannot support people with advanced dementia, unreasonable behaviours, or complex mental health problems.

The results of befriending can be significant. Befriending often provides people with a new direction in life, opens up a range of activities and leads to increased self-esteem and self confidence. Befriending can also reduce the burden on other services which people may use inappropriately as they seek social contact. 96% of people we work with (who have had repeat baseline assessments) have improved in at least one measure of health and wellbeing, 53% are less anxious, and 38% have reduced their use of health services.

We help to connect people with activities which are going on in the communities around us; we provide either one-to-one or telephone befrienders and run two weekly group meetings as well as monthly Bingo and seated exercise to music sessions across Medway.

We are taking new referrals to our service too - so if you are aware of someone who is on their own, you (or they) can get in touch and we will do our best to help.

• The key criteria for being eligible for befriending support is that the person being referred is living in isolated circumstances or has little social contact. Other eligibility criteria applies to specific befriending support provided by MVA and its partners, these will be explained to you once we have received your referral.
• Your referral for befriending support will be reviewed by MVA, who will arrange or signpost you to appropriate befriending support. If it is not possible or suitable to arrange befriending support to an individual, MVA will contact the person who made the referral to explain any decisions made and suggest alternative solutions where possible.
• Befriending is not: the carrying out of any personal care, housework, or other domestic tasks. Neither is it the provision of social care, health support or any caring responsibilities.
• If you know someone who might benefit from the befriending support we offer, then a Befriending simple referral form can be completed by
  
  • A referrer (such as a relative, friend, or health or social care worker) - in this situation, the person being referred must be aware of, and have agreed, to the referral; or
  • An individual wishing to refer themselves to the befriending scheme.

The referral form can be downloaded from here.

Guidance notes for completing the referral form can be downloaded from here.

If you are interested in volunteering to help us with this service we would be delighted to hear from you. If you already have a DBS check that is fantastic. If not, don’t worry as we can arrange that and all safeguarding and other necessary training to ensure you and our service users are safe and secure.

Please contact the Befriending Team using the details given below.

The application form can be downloaded from here.

For more information on any aspects of the Befriending scheme please call the Befriending team on 01634 564939 or email them at befriending@mva.org.uk.

Many thanks.

“The Friendly Team”