Services offered by firsthand
Volunteering as a Befriender
We offer a Befriending Service to young people with a learning difficulty, physical disability or sensory impairment, who are between 15 and 24 years. They share the same interests, the same goals, and have the same enthusiasm as their peers. They want to go out and do things without always being accompanied by parents, but they may find it impossible to go out on their own. They need reliable people, who they can trust to help them achieve their aims — people who are willing to put in the time and who are up for enjoying the things they could do together.
We ask befrienders to commit themselves to meet a young person for up to four hours, once a fortnight. We provide training for all our volunteers and match people according to their interests and personality. When you return your application form, we invite you for an informal interview. It’s a position of trust, so you will complete an Enhanced Disclosure and take part in a training course.
Befriender expenses are covered so you will not be out of pocket for the volunteering you do.
If you’re interested in becoming a Befriender, please email us, or phone 0131 557 3121.