Being a befriender

Who can volunteer?

Volunteers can come from all backgrounds and be any age over 18 years. They undergo a careful selection process. It is highly unikely that we would recruit somone who has suffered a major bereavement in the preceeding two years, as a minimum.

The Oxfordshire Befriending Network’s training programme prepares volunteers for the role of Befriender, deepening their awareness and insight through exploring broadly the issues involved in living with a life-threatening illness. The training itself is a valuable and rewarding experience, which we offer free to volunteers. In return, we ask them to make a commitment of 2 to 3 hours a week for at least 12 months.

On completion of the training, and final acceptance as a Befriender, volunteers receive ongoing support and supervision from Oxfordshire Befriending Network staff, and join regular support groups with their fellow volunteers.

What does it involve?

As a Befriender, your role is to build a friendship with the person you are befriending. Your training will cover ways of dealing sensitively with issues around End of Life, which may be discussed as part of the befriending partnership alongside other issues. A volunteer Befriender spends up to three hours a week talking, listening and being with the person they are befriending in a non-judgemental and supportive way. This could happen in their home or out and about – you will decide this between you, depending on what is appropriate at the time.

Some Befrienders also give practical help to their partners, such as taking them to hospital or out to the shops, or helping them to access local health and social services.  This is not formally a part of the service, but may be appropriate in the context of individual befriending relationships.

As well as helping the person you are befriending, you may be giving a few hours’ break to any friends or carers of your befriending partner during the course of your visit.

OBN exists to provide social, emotional and practical support, and volunteers do not replace professional social and medical services. Whilst religion, politics and health may emerge as natural topics of conversation, Befrienders should not attempt to use the befriending relationship to impress their own beliefs upon others. The staff and volunteers of the Befriending Network are trained to respect confidentiality at all times.

If you are interested in volunteering as a befriender, please contact us for an application pack.