The Helpful Bureau Connect Befriending Service

Anytime

The Helpful Bureau’s Connect Befriending Service works with people in the South Broxtowe area who are (some or all of the criteria below):

• Over 55
• Unable to leave the house
• Experiencing loneliness and/or social isolation
• Have little social interaction
• Would like to attend social groups and activities but are lacking in confidence to attend these
• Have no one to spend quality time with them
• Live alone

We match older and disabled people who are experiencing some / combination of the above with a volunteer befriender.

Please note we are unable to work with people with a diagnosis of dementia as our volunteers are not dementia trained or dementia specialists

What does a befriender do?

Befrienders can:

• Visit someone in their home on a regular basis
• Contact by telephone regularly
• Accompany them to social activities and groups with a view to building confidence and enabling them to access it on their own.

Befrienders cannot:

• Undertake any personal care i.e. bathing, showering, washing, toileting, help with feeding
• Lift, move or handle people
• Administer medication of any kind
• Provide medical advice
• Undertake shopping or deal with anything related to money or finance
• Provide any advice (if an issue arises, they will contact the office who will look at where to signpost for further specialist help and information)

How to make a referral

• Complete a referral form on our website which can be found here https://www.thehelpfulbureau.org.uk/befriending/ Please give as much information as possible otherwise we may have to contact you for further information
• You can call Vicki or Helen at the office on 0115 949 1175 but we are both part time and so it is easier to complete the form above.

Times and availability

Age Range: 55+