Third Sector & HSCP Referrals

It would be helpful for us if you can let your client know that:

• We (normally Debbie Beggs our Co-ordinator) will call them within 1-2 weeks of you making the referral, to arrange a friendly and informal home visit to find out more about them and tell them about our service
• We have a waiting list, so there is likely to be a wait before being matched
• Befriending is a simple concept of forming a friendship to make a meaningful connection. Our volunteers do not provide any personal or medical care
• At VF, we provide a one-to-one service for the client, meaning that they will see (or talk) to the same volunteer every week. Our befrienders are interviewed, referenced checked and Disclosed before being matched

Things to consider before referring to us – thank you!

• We would ask that you consider that our befrienders are volunteers and looking to try and form a friendship with a client – so not all clients might be suitable for our service
• We will always try our very best to find a match for someone, but despite our best efforts, volunteers are often a scarce commodity! (If you ever meet someone who might make a good volunteer please put them in touch with us 😊)
• A client is not necessarily matched according to the length of time they have been waiting – the emphasis for us is always about making a good match based on the personalities and preferences of both the client and volunteer. Our experience has shown that these friendship matches last longer and are more fulfilling
• We will keep you informed of our progress in finding a suitable match, but please call us if you would like an update
• Like many other befriending services we are seeing increasingly complex referrals. Whilst this does not necessarily preclude someone from having a befriender, it has often proved impossible to find a befriender for certain clients e.g. those with advanced dementia, severe mental health conditions, alcohol / drug abuse problems or very complex learning difficulties. (We do not provide training to ensure a volunteer’s or client’s safety in these circumstances.)