East of England
Mentoring and Befriending in your region
Mentoring and Befriending activity in the Eastern Region is vibrant and the sector is growing fast. The range of projects reflects the wide variety of communities found in the region, from schemes dealing with the problems of inner city communities to those focusing on the challenges of dealing with social exclusion in isolated rural communities. It is these communities in particular that the Foundation aims to reach through its work with charities and voluntary sector bodies.
At present we work with over 900 mentoring and befriending projects and organisations in the region. At the end of February 2008 129 of these had taken part in our consultation process. Thirty one percent of the projects consulted with were befriending, 39% mentoring and 30% peer mentoring (both pre and post 16). Most of these projects were in the non-profit sector with the majority being run by voluntary organisations and charities. The most popular client group that these projects work with are people with low confidence / self esteem and those who are socially isolated / excluded or lonely.
The Eastern Region has many examples of good practice in Mentoring and Befriending, including:
CSV Bedfordshire Mentors and Peers (MAP) was set up in 2000, in partnership with other organisations, to prevent and reduce youth crime by matching full and part time volunteer mentors with young people at risk of offending.
Because of funding resources, MAP has now broadened its aims and provides mentors to support young people who are offending, at risk of offending, at risk of exclusion from school or are already excluded and children and young people who are socially excluded. Mentors meet the matched young person weekly for 2-3 hours, for a minimum of three months and a maximum of nine.
The aim of the service is to provide:
West Norfolk Befriending was founded in 2002 as a partnership organisation of Age Concern West Norfolk, Norfolk Carers Association and West Norfolk Deaf Association and became an independent charity in 2005. They provide a service to older people 65+ with long term conditions, including people with physical disability, sensory impairment and / or carers, living in King's Lynn and the coastal strip to the north.
The local population has 23% older people as compared with 18% nationally and is forecast to increase still further in the next ten years. Older people choose to retire to the area because of its attractive rural and coastal geography. However, the number of people socially isolated is high due to the rural area, poor transport and the fact that many people have moved away from their families and friends and have not had time to build up necessary social networks. Bereavement and ill health also play a significant role in increasing social isolation.
Over 80% of our service users have physical disabilities, have little support or contact and experience loneliness, depression and low self-esteem, further compounding their isolation. The service aims to reduce isolation and improve quality of life by matching service users with a trained volunteer befriender to visit them on a regular basis or, if possible, take them out. These visits / outings help service users maintian their independence, identify risks to health and environment and, where possible, facilitate re-integration into community life. West Norfolk Befriending have recently (Feb 2008) applied for the Approved Provider Standard.
For further information please visit their website or contact the Co-ordinator at wnbefrienders@btconnect.com.
At present we work with over 900 mentoring and befriending projects and organisations in the region. At the end of February 2008 129 of these had taken part in our consultation process. Thirty one percent of the projects consulted with were befriending, 39% mentoring and 30% peer mentoring (both pre and post 16). Most of these projects were in the non-profit sector with the majority being run by voluntary organisations and charities. The most popular client group that these projects work with are people with low confidence / self esteem and those who are socially isolated / excluded or lonely.
The Eastern Region has many examples of good practice in Mentoring and Befriending, including:
CSV Bedfordshire Mentors and Peers (MAP) was set up in 2000, in partnership with other organisations, to prevent and reduce youth crime by matching full and part time volunteer mentors with young people at risk of offending.
Because of funding resources, MAP has now broadened its aims and provides mentors to support young people who are offending, at risk of offending, at risk of exclusion from school or are already excluded and children and young people who are socially excluded. Mentors meet the matched young person weekly for 2-3 hours, for a minimum of three months and a maximum of nine.
The aim of the service is to provide:
- a positive experience for young people, underpinned by the 'Every Child Matters' five outcomes
- peer mentoring to young people that offers constructive role modelling, opportunities to engage in community-based services, and opportunities to address individual needs (communication skills; confidence boosting; dealing with emotions; coming to terms with past experiences).
- Improved engagement with education
- Increased confidence / social skills
- Decreased involvement in anti-social behaviour
- Improved community links / participation in out of school activities
- Improved family / carer relationships
West Norfolk Befriending was founded in 2002 as a partnership organisation of Age Concern West Norfolk, Norfolk Carers Association and West Norfolk Deaf Association and became an independent charity in 2005. They provide a service to older people 65+ with long term conditions, including people with physical disability, sensory impairment and / or carers, living in King's Lynn and the coastal strip to the north.
The local population has 23% older people as compared with 18% nationally and is forecast to increase still further in the next ten years. Older people choose to retire to the area because of its attractive rural and coastal geography. However, the number of people socially isolated is high due to the rural area, poor transport and the fact that many people have moved away from their families and friends and have not had time to build up necessary social networks. Bereavement and ill health also play a significant role in increasing social isolation.
Over 80% of our service users have physical disabilities, have little support or contact and experience loneliness, depression and low self-esteem, further compounding their isolation. The service aims to reduce isolation and improve quality of life by matching service users with a trained volunteer befriender to visit them on a regular basis or, if possible, take them out. These visits / outings help service users maintian their independence, identify risks to health and environment and, where possible, facilitate re-integration into community life. West Norfolk Befriending have recently (Feb 2008) applied for the Approved Provider Standard.
For further information please visit their website or contact the Co-ordinator at wnbefrienders@btconnect.com.
We have representatives in all of the nine government regions throughout England, making a direct impact up on the communities that you live in. They can help you with a number of things; either setting up a project, developing an existing programme or acheiving Approved Provider Status (APS).
Contact your Regional Co-ordinator
