Befriending
Sanatoré offers two different types of befriending services:
With both types of befriending each Special Needs person is matched with a Support worker(befriender) who has similar interests or same age group. They will provide friendly conversation and companionship on a regular basis over a long period of time. Befriending provides a Special Needs person with a link to the outside world and often acts as a gateway for other services and valuable support.
Why is befriending so important?
Loneliness and lack of social skills are massive issues for people with Special Needs:
- Face-to-face befriending: where a Support Worker visits the person with Special Needs in their home, perhaps for a cup of tea and a chat, or accompanies them to an activity (such as a trip to a café, Shopping Malls or the Cinema). In some cases, a Support Worker may accompany the person with Special Needs to occasional walk in the park or visiting local shops
- Telephone befriending: where a Support worker (befriender) will phone the client at an agreed time for a chat if they rather not meet face-to-face. Although we encourage a face to face befriending as it helps to build confidence.
With both types of befriending each Special Needs person is matched with a Support worker(befriender) who has similar interests or same age group. They will provide friendly conversation and companionship on a regular basis over a long period of time. Befriending provides a Special Needs person with a link to the outside world and often acts as a gateway for other services and valuable support.
Why is befriending so important?
Loneliness and lack of social skills are massive issues for people with Special Needs:
- Most of the people with Special Needs in the UK finds it hard to socialize and so spend most of their time alone.
- A huge number of people with Special Needs often feel ignored or invisible.
- Loneliness can be as harmful for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
