Befriending offers informal support, usually through volunteer befrienders, to people who feel lonely and isolated or would just like a chat with someone now and then.
What is befriending?
Befriending is an informal but supportive relationship between a Befriendee (someone who might be lonely or socially isolated) and a Befriender (someone who is usually a trained volunteer).
Befrienders can help people to feel more connected to their communities, better supported and less alone.
Befriending can come in many forms including regular face to face visits in someone’s home, buddying to support someone to gain confidence and get out and about, regular telephone chats, or calls to check that someone is ok, for example if they’ve just come out of hospital. Befriending can also take the form of facilitated group activities.
You can find out more about Derbyshire organisations which offer befriending services on our ‘Find a Befriender’ page. Or you can contact us directly if you want to find out more about befriending and whether it’s right for you.
If you think you would like to become a volunteer befriender and help to support someone in your community then check out our ‘Become a Befriender’ page or get in touch directly for more information.
What is Derbyshire Befriending?
Derbyshire Befriending is a registered Charitable Community Benefit Society, known as a CBS, which is a type of cooperative.
You can find more information about co-operatives here.
Our primary aim is to reduce loneliness and social isolation by supporting our members to provide quality befriending activities.
Our members are organisations delivering befriending activities in the county of Derbyshire and Derby City and come in all shapes and sizes. Some are larger organisations which offer different sorts of services across a wide area, some are smaller volunteer run groups which work in particular areas such as a local parish, and some are specialist organisation that work with particular groups of people, for example women who are deaf.
How to Join
If you would like your organisations to become a member please see the links below for more information.
Eligible organisations can become members for only £1.
You can find our membership prospectus and frequently asked questions here.
If you have any questions, please contact us for an informal chat.
