Make a difference by becoming a Base befriender volunteer

Are you interested in providing friendship and support to adults with learning disabilities?
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is seeking befriender volunteers for our Base facilities in Newtownabbey, Antrim and Ballycastle, which provide a warm, welcoming and homely space for service users to meet, socialise and make friends.
Volunteers will work closely with service users to develop their confidence and independence through companionship by providing compassion and encouragement.
Explaining more, Louise Gillespie, the Northern Trust’s Volunteering Programme Delivery Officer, said: “Base befriender volunteers will play a valuable role, supporting staff to ensure they are providing meaningful and enriching day-to-day experiences and activities, while creating a real sense of belonging and purpose for everyone involved.
“Becoming a volunteer offers many benefits. You can look forward to meeting new people, helping others and developing your own skills, while gaining a useful insight in to the health and social care sector.
“If this appeals to you, and you have a genuine interest in helping people within a learning disability setting, please get in touch with us.”
We are looking for volunteers who can ideally commit to one session per week (minimum of two sessions per fortnight).
Morning sessions run from 10am – 12.30pm, afternoon sessions are from 12.30pm – 3pm or a full day is 10am – 3pm.
For further information, or to request an application pack, please email volunteer.service@northerntrust.hscni.net.
The closing date for completed applications is Friday 31 January at 4.00pm.
Suitability conversations will take place on Wednesday 5 February in Newtownabbey Base and Thursday 6 February in Antrim Base and Ballycastle Base.
An induction session for Trust volunteers will take place online on Thursday 27 February from 7.30pm – 9.30pm or in person in Ballymena Health & Care Centre on Tuesday 4 March from 9.30am – 1pm.
17th January 2025