supporting, developing and representing community groups,
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering

Volunteering Opportunity Details

  • Befriender for young person with Cystic Fibrosis
    with Butterfly Trust (The) (This is not a Fife-based organisation).

    Volunteer Opportunity No. VO90057 - Created/last updated: 27/04/2023



    Print
    Opportunity


    About this opportunity:Befriending is a fantastic and rewarding way to make a real difference to the life of someone else. Apart from the personal satisfaction of helping someone, it is also an opportunity to enhance your own life experience and build new skills.
    Befrienders MUST have held a full driving licence for at least 2 years and have the use of a smoke free car.
    A minimum commitment of 1 year is needed to ensure these goals can be met.

    Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a life limiting condition that currently affects around 1200 people in Scotland. The Butterfly Trust aspires to improving the quality of life for people affected by Cystic Fibrosis by providing support, promoting people's rights and helping them to live independently.

    Our befrienders offer one to one face-to-face support to a young person aged 8 to 18, who has Cystic Fibrosis. Young people living with this condition have a demanding daily treatment regime at home and sometimes experience limitations that can affect their confidence and ability to cope with the challenges of everyday living. They may also be socially isolated because of their condition.

    A befriender will meet with the young person for around 3 hours every 1 to 2 weeks, away from the home environment, to build a trusting one to one relationship. A session might simply be an opportunity to chat, eg over a snack or coffee, or may involve a specific activity such as sport or creative/arts. This will allow the young person space and a suitable environment to explore their feelings, discuss their fears, develop life skills and grow in the areas where they may be struggling.

    Desirable qualities required include good listening skills, patience and an adaptable attitude.
    Training and support is provided; and expenses reimbursed.

    After applying you will be asked to complete an application form and to meet with us for a short informal interview. Befrienders will then attend an induction event (expenses paid) and the trust will acquire PVG clearance on their behalf, before being paired up with an appropriate client in the Glasgow area, within a reasonable distance from your home.

    Takes place:
    morningsafternoonsevenings
    Mondays
    Tuesdays
    Wednesdays
    Thursdays
    Fridays
    Saturdays
    Sundays
    Minimum age:19
    Maximum age:100
    Training provided:Induction is one day covering the condition, the befriending process and procedures, interpersonal skills, Trust procedures. One team day per year for ongoing training. Support from befriending co-ordinator member of Trust's staff.
    Out of pocket expenses paid?
    Yes - All transport costs, mileage (30p/mile), materials for activities.

    Experience required:Good listening skills, patience, reliability and an adaptable attitude. Must have access to a smoke free car

    Restrictions on who can volunteer
    must have held full driving license for 2 years

    Application process:Application Form; Induction/Training; Interview; PVG membership required; References

    Taster available?No, not for this opportunity.

    Travel DetailsVolunteers will be matched with a young person who lives in their local area. The volunteer will take the young person in their car to an activity or environment away from home to give the young person space to talk.

    Saltire AwardThis opportunity is compatible with the Saltire Awards for volunteers aged 12-25.

    What Now?

    To enquire/register an interest in this opportunity call us (FVA) on 0800 389 6046, e-mail us, or fill out this form:

    Please tell us what age group you are in:
    Are you looking to improve your employability prospects by volunteering?    

      You can print these opportunity details.

    Go to main volunteering opportunities page

Suggest an update/report an error/enquire about this page

Other Opportunities

Here are some shortcuts to other, similar opportunities:

Butterfly Trust (The) has the following, additional volunteering opportunities:
  - Mentor for a young adult with Cystic fibrosis (Fife)
  - Volunteer Family Support Worker (Fife)

Type of volunteering: Befriending / Mentoring
Opportunities which benefit Children


Go to main volunteering opportunities page

What is volunteering?

Find out more about volunteering
View our introduction to volunteering page or contact us to find out more - our experts love helping people of all ages and backgrounds to become volunteers.

Register your opportunity
If you are an Organisation that would like your opportunity to be shown on our website, promoted by us, and for our staff to be aware of it when matching potential volunteers, please submit an Opportunity Registration Form,

Help and Support

Call us to arrange an appointment
Give us a call on 0800 389 6046 to arrange an appointment to chat with our staff about what opportunities are available. Meetings can be arranged outside of the office in some cases.

Register with us
Fill out our registration form and a member of staff will then get in touch with you to discuss volunteering options to suit you.

Volunteering Bulletin

If you volunteer or you're interested in volunteering then sign up for our free e-mail bulletin for volunteers - it only takes a few seconds. We send out bulletins roughly every two weeks and you can unsubscribe at any time.