BEFRIEND a Child, Aberdeen’s largest one-to-one befriending service for children and young people, have received the award for Quality in Befriending for the third time over six years. The accreditation, awarded by Befriending Networks, demonstrates the charity’s passion and commitment to improving the lives of children in the North-East.
“Having a nationally recognised accreditation such as Quality in Befriending is important to Befriend a Child as it highlights the impact we are making to local children and young people. It also shows that our practises and processes are of an excellent quality, which can give staff and volunteers confidence when promoting the service to partners and funders” said Jean Gordon, Head of Operations at Befriend a Child.
Befriend a Child support approximately 250 children a year, who are growing up in difficult life circumstances in Aberdeen City and Shire through one-to-one befriending, group activities and mentoring programmes. Trained volunteers are matched with children experiencing a variety of hardships, including parental drug and alcohol abuse, poor mental health, and low self-esteem. Volunteers meet with their young person on a regular basis to help them socialise, build important skills and most importantly, have fun.
To secure the re-accreditation, the charity went through a rigorous assessment process that involved meeting with assessors, submitting evidence, and holding befriendee interviews.
Sarah Van Putten, Chief Executive of Befriending Networks recently got in touch with the team to congratulate them on the award win and advised that: “Befriend a Child’s assessment stood out as being one of the best seen this year.”
The organisation continues to improve and build on the services they offer, with the goal of supporting children who need it most. The latest developments include a family support service and a Healthy Minds Befriending project. Another key aspect of Befriend a Child’s development is the recruitment of more befriending volunteers to meet the growing demand for support. The charity is on the lookout for kind, caring and reliable people who can spare a few hours twice a month to make a positive difference in the lives of young people.
To find out more about what Befriend a Child do and how you can get involved in their volunteering programme, visit their website at www.befriendachild.org.uk.
