Improving the quality of life of people
with learning disabilities and their
carers through volunteer befriending
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Improving the quality of life of people with learning disabilities and their carers through volunteer befriending
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Company Ltd by Guarantee, No. SC297772
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Information for Carers We can link the person with learning disabilities you care for with a volunteer or group so they can meet up regularly and do social and leisure activities they enjoy while giving you a break. The different services we offer include: 1:1 links for children (aged 8-16), young people (aged 16-25) and adults. ¨ The volunteer would usually live locally and have similar interests to the person you care for. ¨ They would usually be of a similar age (although our childrens’ links often involve young adult volunteers) ¨ They would do activities they choose: for example the cinema, cycling, local events, walks, shopping, going for coffee, arts & crafts, golf, swimming or football. ¨ Activities are usually for two-three hours, and could be as often as once a week or as little as once a month: our main priority is to set up a sustainable relationship that they both enjoy.
Befriending groups: ¨ Adult groups in Galashiels that meet weekly for 6 weeks at a time and do a range of arts & crafts workshops. ¨ Youth Groups in Peebles, Hawick, Galashiels and Kelso. v These meet fortnightly on a weekday evening for 2-3 hours to socialise and do projects of their choice involving, for example, music, art & crafts, drama and outward bound activities. v The groups are formed each September and last till the following June. All the volunteers in these groups are aged 16-25 and they are supervised by Interest Link staff and senior volunteers. v Group members usually stay in a group for two years, after which they can move to an older group or be linked 1:1 ¨ Children's Groups in Hawick and Galashiels: these are similar to the Youth Groups but are aimed at children aged 8-16 and involve volunteers from a wider age-range.
How to join: ¨ The first step is to contact your local Branch Co-ordinator (details below) who will arrange to meet up with you and the person you care for, and complete a registration form with you. ¨ If we are able to offer a service, we will ask for more detailed information and complete a risk assessment. ¨ We cannot guarantee that we will be able to link up the person you care for: this depends mainly on how many volunteers can be recruited and where they live.
Your Role ¨ You would be consulted at all stages on issues such as whether the person you care for would suit a group, what activities would be realistic, how a volunteer should be introduced and whether a 1:1 link should be continued after its initial trial period. ¨ You would arrange practical details with the volunteer, and help the person you care for prepare for activities. ¨ We often provide transport, but this varies from case to case and group to group. ¨ The service is free of charge apart from activity costs such as cinema tickets or refreshments. ¨ All personal information you give us about the person you care for will be kept confidential by us. ¨ The Branch Co-ordinator would always be available to give you support and advice .
Our volunteers ¨ We draw volunteers from the general public, schools, Borders College and youth groups. ¨ All are trained by us and police-checked. We also pay all of their travel and activity costs. ¨ We are always looking for volunteers and should be grateful if you would pass on our details to anyone you think might be interested.
Further information ¨ Click here to see videos we have made about the Adult and Young Peoples Services. ¨ You can read about the experiences of other carers and those they care for in our independent evaluations
Branch Contact Details
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