A CHARITY supporting young people across Argyll and Bute is backing a national campaign highlighting the importance of friendship and social connections in tackling loneliness and isolation.
Argyll and Bute Befrienders Supporting Young People, is taking part in Befriending Week, which runs from November 1 to 7, celebrating the positive impact of befriending services and the volunteers who make them possible.
The charity matches young people with volunteer befrienders who provide friendship, encouragement and support through regular visits and shared activities.
These can involve spending time together at home or enjoying activities in the local community, with each young person supported by their own dedicated befriender to help build a consistent and trusting relationship.
Befriending Week brings together organisations and communities across the UK and beyond to recognise the contribution of volunteers and staff, raise awareness of the benefits of befriending and highlight the importance of continued support for these services among local and national decision-makers
This year, the Cowal branch of Argyll and Bute Befrienders Supporting Young People has held a meeting with its current befrienders. They discussed possible ways to engage more volunteers and are busy planning an event in the centre of Dunoon in January 2027. The date and time will be announced soon, but it will definitely include coffee and cake!
Lucy Neish, the Cowal and Bute area project worker for the charity, said: “Our goal is to create and cultivate nurturing relationships for young people. We recruit, train and support adult volunteers to act as befrienders for children and young people aged 6–18. It is brilliant to see the effect this support can have on a young person’s confidence and self-esteem.
“It was good to get input from our volunteers, who truly understand what being a befriending volunteer means. Their invaluable insight will inform our plans moving forward.
“We’re delighted that Befriending Week can provide a platform to recognise the passion and dedication of befriending teams and share the impact of their work.”
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer befriender or accessing a befriending service, email [email protected] for more information or to arrange an informal chat.
Visit our website to find out more: https://www.befrienders.scot/
