Befriending in Belfast

By Brian Smith

The Voluntary Service Bureau is working to end isolation and loneliness of elders in Ireland. Here's an article from the Belfast Telegraph:

Ain't it good to know you got a friend
Could you spare an hour a week to chat to a lonely elderly person? As we enter the darkest, coldest months of the year, Voluntary Service Belfast are calling for people to come forward and join their Befriending scheme. Chrissie Russell finds out more
09 November 2006

Winter can be a difficult time for many people, as the days get shorter and the weather colder.

Some of the dangers facing elderly people at this time of year are well-documented - flu epidemics, heating bills and adverse weather conditions all combine to make it a difficult season.

But one of the greatest fears that faces elderly people at any time of the year is loneliness, says the Voluntary Service Bureau. Tragically, it is also a problem that could very easily be solved.

"Some elderly people may not see anyone all week apart from their care workers who, because of the pressures on their time, are only in the house for 20 minutes," explains Victoria O'Neill, a project worker for the VSB.

"All they need is someone who is a friendly face that can come in for a chat."

To try and address the isolation faced by elderly people living on their own, the VSB runs a Befriending scheme - a project that aims to address the feelings of loneliness felt by many pensioners by setting up weekly visits by volunteers...

For 40 years, the scheme has functioned by 'befrienders' arranging a time that suits with their 'befriendee' for an hour-long visit each week.

There are currently 35 befriending relationships running across south and east Belfast - the area where VSB receives funding - and volunteers have spent more than 3,700 hours providing companionship more than 50 people in the last year.

But, sadly, the number of elderly people needing a friend seriously outweighs the number of volunteers willing to donate their time.

"We need people desperately at the moment as our waiting list for people wanting befrienders is very long," explains Victoria.

"Although we need people all the year round, we find people are often particularly lonely and isolated in the winter months when the days are getting shorter. At the moment, we have at least 15 people in urgent need of a befriender."

Most befrienders already involved in the scheme are students or older women.

Very few men have volunteered for the scheme, but Victoria says that very few elderly males have been identified as being in need of befriending.

She explains: "Social workers refer people to us who are seen as being socially isolated.

"We have some young people with disability or health issues referred to us, but mostly it's older people, particularly elderly women."

Although potential befrienders must go through a police check and an interview with the VSB to determine suitability, interests and travel requirements, the skills and training needed to be a good befriender are very simple.

"We need people who are good listeners," says Victoria. "And we need people who are going to be able to commit to six months on the scheme. It's not fair to the elderly people if the volunteer goes to meet them once and then decides they can't be bothered."

Volunteers are given a huge amount of support with regular meetings between befrienders and project co-ordinators to see how the placement is going.

There are also opportunities for fellow befrienders to meet up and a regular newsletter keeps volunteers in contact with how other people's experiences are going. One of Victoria's jobs is to match befrienders up with the befriendees.

"I try to do it so that they have shared interests and a similar outlook," she says. "There haven't been any disasters so far, but if there was a problem then a rematch would be arranged."

Volunteers are entitled to claim transport costs for journeys to and from client's homes, but often chose not to, as the VSB organisation is entirely dependent on funding.

Although the initial visit can be daunting for both parties, Victoria has often found that the relationships set up can develop into worthwhile and rewarding friendships.

Now she is appealing for volunteers to come forward and get involved in the Befriending scheme.

"We really do want anyone who wants to make a difference in their community to contact us and get involved," she goes on. "Just an hour or two a week is only a little bit of time out of most people's lives, but really can make an enormous difference."

Anyone interested in volunteering for the befriending scheme can contact the Voluntary Service Bureau at the Centre for Citizenship, 34 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast BT2 7DB. Telephone: 9020 0850, email info@vsb.org, or click on www.vsb.org.uk