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Working together to support people

Please note: due to current advice on Coronavirus, we are currently only providing a Covid-19 Telephone Befriending Service which offers help and support to the most vulnerable members of our communities at this unsettling time, through conversations.

By helping to reduce fears for those experiencing anxiety and uncertainty; our telephone project offers a friendly voice at a moment of increased isolation and loneliness.

Who can refer people?

Anybody who is supporting a person and feels that they need that little extra support or companionship. These can be health professionals such as occupational therapists, GPs, social workers and district nurses. Housing associations can also refer, as well as voluntary organisations, family members or friends. We also have people who self-refer.

Who can be referred?

To be eligible for the befriending service they need to be:

• feel lonely or isolated with no/little family support;
• live in Bridgend County Borough;
• live in sheltered or rented accommodation, housing association property or your own home;
• have suffered a bereavement and need support to get back into community life;
• want to make new friends and participate in community activities or clubs, but don’t have the confidence to go there alone.

How do we refer somebody?

• Discuss our service with the person concerned, they must be happy and agree to receive support from us;
• Contact our BAVO office and speak to our Project Officer by calling 01656 810400 or E: bavo@bavo.org.uk

Complete a referral form for our Telephone Befriending Service here

 We will:

• set up an initial visit with the person requiring befriending to discuss their needs;
• carefully match a trained and DBS checked volunteer to the needs of the person;
• accompany the volunteer on their initial visit;
• contact you to inform you that the befriending service has started.

Further information can be found by downloading our referral guide for Bridgend County Borough

Contact us:

For further details contact BAVO, T: 01656 810400 or E: bavo@bavo.org.uk