what will i be doing?
Aberlour Options residential service offers a safe and loving home for young people with complex needs and disabilities. Volunteer Befrienders play an important role in providing social interaction with young people, engaging in activities and encouraging young people to try new things. Volunteer Befrienders spend regular 1:1 time with a young person, helping them to take part in hobbies and pursue new interests. Young people build a trusting relationship with volunteers, who can be consistent figures in their life to support them through life transitions.
the impact you can make
Young people with disabilities can hugely benefit from having a Befriender. Spending time with someone on a 1:1 basis can increase confidence and develop communication skills by giving them someone to talk to. Having a Befriender can also give young people the confidence to take part in group activities, allowing them to meet new people and form new friendships.
the benefits to you
By volunteering as a Befriender in this residential service, you can gain valuable experience of working with young people with disabilities and developing an awareness of the issues affecting them. Volunteers can gain a sense of satisfaction knowing they are helping a young person to develop social skills and achieve their potential.
As one volunteer in the Options residential service describes, Befriending is enjoyable for both the young person and the volunteer:
‘I think what I enjoy most about volunteering is being able to build a relationship with him and seeing it develop over a period of time. We now both look forward to our visits and never leave without having laughed. Volunteering is definitely a worthwhile experience in which you will gain just as much from volunteering as the person you are working with’.
Volunteer Befrienders typically spent time with a young person once a month.
If you are interested in this role, please enquire or apply now.
Options Lorimer (Fife) – Young Person’s Befriender
