Befriending Volunteer with British Sign Language skills (Chandler's Ford)

Befriending Volunteer with British Sign Language skills (Chandler's Ford)

Posted for SeeAbility

Posted by Volunteer First

Register your interest

You will be redirected to the Volunteer First website to express your interest.

We are looking for a compassionate and patient individual to volunteer as a befriender to a person we support who is deaf. We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, some may also have sight loss.

The ideal volunteer will have a caring nature, a good knowledge of BSL (British Sign Language) or a willingness to learn, and a passion for supporting others in gaining independence and confidence in their daily lives. Some experience of people with learning disabilities & autism would be an useful.

By spending a few hours together each week or fortnight, you will help reduce loneliness, build confidence, and create opportunities for fun and friendship. Every person we support is unique, so you will get to know their interests and plan activities they will enjoy together.

You could be:

• Having a chat over a cup of tea.
  
• Playing board games or video games.
  
• Reading together.

What skills do I need?

Skills Required

• To be kind, empathetic and friendly
• A reasonable level of British Sign Language (BSL)
• An understanding of the deaf culture, autism and learning disabilities
• Experience of working in Social Care preferred but not essential
• To have a good sense of humour and love to chat
• To be punctual and reliable
• Available to volunteer for 1-3 hours a week or fortnight
• To be able to deal with information in line with our data protection and confidentiality procedures