The Adavu Project

Volunteer Role Outline – Befriender

Volunteer Role Outline

Background information The Adavu Aftercare Project supports adult survivors of

Modern Slavery

Volunteer Role Title: Befriender
Location: Sparkhill Methodist Church, Birmingham
Responsible to: Adavu Project Manager.

Hours per week: Usually 1 morning or afternoon a fortnight

Role Summary

Befrienders are volunteers who are linked with a survivor of modern slavery to offer practical and social support. Befrienders should be approachable and friendly in manner, with the ability to listen, show empathy and to build a relationship of trust between them and the client. Befrienders meet with a client in a neutral space; a café, museum or park, or when necessary and with the agreement of the project manager, at the home of the client.

The befriender will work under the direction of the Caseworker who will liaise with them as to the specific nature of each client’s requirements. Every case will be different. However, the befriender’s role may include the following:

 Accompanying clients to specific appointments i.e. to register with a GP, benefits appointments, or with ESOL classes.

 Assisting the client with practical tasks; e.g. finding a place of worship (at the client’s request), help with completing forms, finding local shops, libraries and other services.

  • Advocacy work; e.g. making a phone call on behalf of the client if a housing repair issue arises.
  • Social support; listening, offering conversation, friendship and social opportunities, e.g. a visit to a local park, cultural event or library. Social support such as this also helps clients who speak very little English gain practice in developing their conversational English
  • For befrienders with are able, it could involve giving a lift to medical or other appointments on occasion.

We are looking for people who have the following skills and attributes:

  • Awareness of and commitment to the Adavu Projects ethos, aims, practises and policies
  • Able to commit to being available for one session (morning or afternoon) a fortnight
  • Ability to establish a positive and productive relationships with adults who are vulnerable and may not have English as a first language
  • Ability to maintain appropriate boundaries with beneficiaries
  • Ability to travel to and attend appointments with clients (which may involve travel via public transport or transporting the client in the befrienders car provided the befriender holds a full, clean UK driving licence, insurance, MOT).
  • Ability to advocate on behalf of beneficiaries during appointments.
  • Willingness to undertake induction training, safeguarding training and to engage with further training, volunteer meetings, and key updates as required.
  • Ability to complete a log sheet following each appointments.
  • Ability to keep the Case Worker / Project Manager informed of any incidents/events that occur whilst carrying out the volunteering role
  • Ability to request support from Project Manager/Caseworker as and when it is required

Safer Recruitment

Adavu follows the Methodist / Church of England Joint Safer Recruitment Policy for recruitment of all employees and volunteers[1]. This volunteer befriending role will require the volunteer to undergo an enhanced DBS disclosure. The cost of this will be met by the Adavu project.

Adavu Project April 2016

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