Volunteer Befrienders provide telephone or face to face support for lonely/isolated residents of Hartlepool who live alone, building their confidence to access social groups and get out and about in the community.
Loneliness and isolation can result in a decline in an individual’s physical and mental health, which can result in risks to the individual’s safety such as the inability to self-rescue in the case of a fire. If we can reduce loneliness and isolation, we can increase safety and reduce risk.
Volunteer Befrienders telephone or meet with their matched person, typically on a weekly basis, with the aim of reducing loneliness and isolation and to improve their well-being.
Initially, volunteers may be visiting clients in their home for a friendly chat over a cup of tea and will hopefully build to accompanying clients on short walks, outings or to attend local social groups. With the intention of building the client’s confidence to participate in these activities unaccompanied and perhaps eventually become volunteers themselves.
There is also opportunity for volunteers to support the Befriending Service in delivering activities for our clients to attend in the community.
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