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About befriendingBefriending another person gives them the opportunity to develop skills, gain in self confidence and try new activities, supported by someone who has a genuine interest in them and their well-being. The befriender also can benefit by doing something worthwhile and usually finds satisfaction in seeing the difference that can be made by investing some time and attention in another person.
COVEY exists to provide a befriending service for young people.
Who will be befriended?
Young people are usually referred to the project by social workers who see befriending as part of a young person's care plan. However guidance teachers and educational psychologists have also used COVEY befriending services. The careers service, youth groups, community police, citizen's advice bureaux and community education are also aware of the service.
Young people will be accepted for the waiting list on submission of a referral form and when at least two of the following indicators of vulnerability are present:
- actual shortage of supportive adults within the family
- recurring or chronic physical or psychiatric illness of a parent or carer
- concerns for the young person's physical, emotional, educational or social welfare
- where COVEY support might assist in diverting a young person from statutory measures of care
- the young person is seen as not coping in school, training, work, the community, or home
- the death of an immediate family member
- poverty
- homelessness.
What difference does befriending make?
There is no doubt that befriending makes a difference in the life of a young person, however it is sometimes difficult to quantify the difference that befriending can make.
Over the years that COVEY volunteers have been befriending there have been the spectacular stories of young people gaining in confidence to such a degree that they can find employment or move into education. There is also evidence that if a vulnerable young person has a supportive, consistent and reliable adult in their lives when things are difficult all around them they will be much better able to cope later in life.
The existence of a supportive relationship has been what has helped some of our young people gain the confidence to keep going to school, take a new pride in their appearance and try new activities on their own. Their behaviour improves in the family and in the community and it has been reported that 'befriending is the only good thing that is happening in their life at the moment'.
How is a befriending set up?
When a suitable befriender becomes available, a Project Worker will arrange to visit the family to explain about befriending and to get the family's and young person's agreement. The project worker will then arrange a suitable match. Shortly afterwards, the befriender will be introduced to the young person, the family and possibly the referrer at an introductory meeting. After about four outings another meeting is held and, if everyone is happy with the arrangement, the befriending will continue with regular four-monthly reviews for as long as the young person needs the service and the befriender is available.
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