Who are we?

Justlife provides support for the hidden homeless community living in unsupported temporary accommodation. Our Social Connection project provides support to people moving away from homelessness by helping them to connect with their local communities and build positive social networks and healthy relationships.

What are we Looking for?

• Friendly and communicative with the ability to engage with a diverse group of people
• A good understanding of boundaries
• Ability to be non-judgmental and treat all clients with sensitivity and respect, whatever their backgrounds, opinions, cultural and ethical beliefs
• Commitment to the welfare, well-being and safeguarding of vulnerable people
• Excellent communication and listening skills and an ability to make topics of discussion understandable to both young people and adults.
• Patience and the ability to remain calm
• Reliability and commitment 
• No formal qualifications are required but experience with people who have experienced homelessness or unsettled housing is helpful.

What you will be doing?

Volunteers are required to make contact with their matches a minimum of once a week, over a 6-month period.  Meetings are not expected to last more than 60 / 90 minutes. As a befriender, you will:

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• Meet regularly with your match in the community and plan the types of activities you want to do together.
• Relay any concerns arising from your meetings, or contact, your match to the coordinator (or as per other guidance)
• Participate in monthly 1-2-1 volunteer supervision and any other support/training as necessary
• Complete any volunteer monitoring as required and in a timely way
• Satisfy any initial and ongoing recruitment and vetting checks necessary to the role

What are the benefits for our befrienders?

• Involvement in a vital community project that helps to keep people accommodated
• The chance to make some feel like a member of their community, valued and respected
• The opportunity to connect with your community differently, and broaden your life perspective through an increased understanding and knowledge of the issues facing vulnerable people
• Access to volunteer expenses
• The chance to be a part of the Justlife community with the opportunity to meet and make friends with other like-minded people
• The opportunity to develop your volunteering role in other areas of Justlife