Helping Hands Befriending
What is Helping Hands?
In the video below Helping Hands volunteer Alison Stephen and client Anne Munro discuss their personal experiences of this befriending and support service provided by Highland Hospice.
Helping Hands is a volunteer befriending service delivered and supported by Highland Hospice in communities throughout the region.
Following an initial assessment by one of our staff the person is matched to their own volunteer befriender. The volunteer visits the person regularly in their own home providing social and practical support in an informal way. The service is open to all individuals in need regardless of their diagnosis. The service also aims to support carers by enabling them the opportunity to have some time for themselves in the knowledge their loved one is being well supported.
Helping Hands aims to support people throughout the Highlands therefore we are working in partnership with a number of organisations providing befriending in their local communities. For further information please visit our page 'Befriending Services Across the Highlands'.
What will our volunteers do?
Care is taken in matching volunteers with a person or family and the relationship between each Helping Hands volunteer and the person they support is unique. The amount of time and activities will vary but every volunteer will provide a friendly ear to listen as well as extra assistance to help reduce anxiety and stress for individuals and carers. Helping Hands volunteers may:
- Short car trips/outings
- Sit with people to enable carers to have a break
- Chat about local or national news and sports
- Read with a person
- Help with a hobby
- Help with practical tasks such as writing letters or shopping
- Provide emotional support at times of change of difficulty
- Accompany to medical appointments or a social group
Volunteers will not become involved in personal care, medical care, counselling, domestic tasks such as cooking or cleaning, nor financial or legal matters.
Referral
Individuals and family members may self-refer to the Helping Hands service. Once your referral is received we will make an appointment to discuss the service with you and also make contact with the GP or community nurse responsible for your care.
If you think that you or someone you know may benefit from Helping Hands contact us:
- Telephone: 01463 423202 or 07874724878
- Email: helpinghands@highlandhospice.org.uk
Being a Helping Hands volunteer
You can learn more about being a Helping Hands volunteer and apply to be one here.
We are currently recruiting for volunteers. All volunteers are provided specialist training. For more information contact:
- Susan Smith, Service Manager
- s.smith@highlandhospice.org.uk
If you would like to attend one of our Helping Hands Volunteer information sessions as a taster before commiting to this role you may. A list of upcoming dates is available here.
Supporting Local Communities
Helping Hands is working in partnership with local communities to enhance and expand existing befriending services or establish new befriending services in throughout the Highlands. Read about our partnerships here.
Please support your Highland Hospice
Registered Office: Highland Hospice, Ness House, 1 Bishops Road, Inverness IV3 5SB.
Telephone: 01463 243132. Email: generalenquiries@highlandhospice.org.uk
Highland Hospice is a registered Scottish charity, no. SC011227 and a company limited by guarantee, no. SC093464
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