1-2-1 Friendship Mentor

A one to one friendship mentor supports an individual with a learning disability and / or autism who has enrolled on to our programme (friendship finder) to achieve their friendship goals.

A mentor will be expected to meet up with their friendship finder once a week / fortnight helping them meet up with existing friends or new people and engage in community activities.

A 1-2-1 friendship mentor is not a friend of befriender to the person they are supporting but a mentor who will support their friendship finder to make their own friends. You will need to clarify to your friendship finder that you are there to help, support them in finding a friend(s) and maintaining that relationship. As a volunteer you are not allowed to be Facebook friend’s with friendship finders on your social media.

Responsibilities:

• Attend general Friends Action Training, Safeguarding and Health and Safety training
• Read Friends Action North East’s policies and procedures
• Attend first 3 meets at FANE to get to know their Friendship Finder
• Meet up with their Friendship Finder regularly e.g. once a week or once every 2 weeks to work on their friendship goals
• Work with their Friendship Finder on their Friendship goals outlined on their kick start plan
• Complete a JOT form each time they meet up with their Friendship Finder and say what has been achieved at that meeting
• Attend kick start plan reviews
• Attend volunteer reviews
• Carry a FANE mobile and always let FANE staff know where you are going with your Friendship Finder

Skills

• Experience working with adults with learning disabilities and / or autism
• A chance to meet new people

Volunteers need to commit to FANE general induction training, safeguarding training and health and safety training. Volunteers will need to complete and enhanced DBS because we work with vulnerable adults and provide 2 references. They will need to fill out a volunteer application form and have a first meeting with the volunteer coordinator on Zoom or face to face.