The North Dublin Befriending Service

North Dublin Befriending• With an emphasis on developing community based services,

one of the problems identified when placing someone in the community was social isolation. (Vision for Change)

• The North Dublin Befriending Service was set up to help reduce this isolation and to provide people with opportunities for social interaction and a sense of being part of a community.

• Consistent with the National Suicide Prevention Strategy the NDBS aims to provide out of hours support for individuals, contact with others, opportunities to socialise and make new friends and widen their social and support networks.

Origins of the idea

• The 5 Mental Health Associations in North Dublin, in conjunction with the community mental health services, recognised that a service was required to address the problem of social inclusion for people with Mental Health Difficulties.

• In 2005 with the help of The Dormant Account fund and People in Need, funding was secured for a two year pilot project. This project was administered by Mental Health Ireland.

Building the Service• In July 2005 the Befriending Project set up.

• The Advisory Committee consisted of a representative from each of the Mental Health Associations in North Dublin, and representatives from the community mental health services.

• At the end of the two year pilot project, it was felt that this service was badly needed and so it was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and applied for and was granted Charitable Status.

One-to-One befriending

• Befriending involves matching a person with mental health difficulties with a trained and supported volunteer who commits 3 hours each week for a social outing with their befriender.

• Each befriending match is initiated, supported and monitored by The North Dublin Befriending Service.

Benefits of the ServiceBefriending looks at life needs of the individual.

Befriending is able to offer an 'out of hours' service.

The Individual decides where, when and how contact takes place.

The emphasis is on building self confidence and self esteem and is led by the needs of the individual.

Befriending can offer 'fun in the real world', which sets it apart from most other services!

Befrienders offer a wealth of different experiences and come from a range of different backgrounds and age groups.

Benefits Cont/..Befrienders do not get paid. The voluntary commitment shown is

generally appreciated by befriendees and helps to build relationships which nurture self confidence.

The Befriending Service complements the work undertaken by the Statutory Sector.

Befriending can assist people in developing their interests, accessing community based facilities and improving the quality of their lives.

The Befriending Service can help to reduce the stigma that some people may feel. Through the service more people become educated about mental health difficulties, recognising that it is something which can affect any one of us.

NDBS Social Groups• It was recognised that as NDBS is an urban service, more

people may be catered for by setting up social groups.• In July 2007 Blanchardstown Social Club was set up with the

help of Eve Holdings who gave us the use of Conai Clubhouse, Blanchardstown.

• Finglas Clubhouse was set up in 2009.• Coolock was set up in 2011.• The social groups allow people to socialise in a non-

judgmental environment where they can be themselves.• All activities and events are chosen by the members.• It gives members an opportunity to meet others and make

new friendships in a safe and non-threatening environment.

Achievements to DateMHE Endorsement• We have been endorsed by Mental Health Europe

as a Model for Best Practice that can be easily transferred to other locations in Europe. We were one of only 4 projects in Ireland chosen as models of Best Practice.

Dormant Accounts• We were showcased by Dormant Accounts in their

book “Empowering Communities by Tackling Disadvantage” as one of their most innovative projects.

HSE Achievement Awards• We came third in the Adopting and Adapting Best

Practice section in November 2007.

Achievements Cont/…Fingal Managing Volunteers Award• In 2012 we were awarded a Level II award in this

Quality Assurance Program run by Volunteer Ireland and Fingal County Council.

Governance Code• In 2013 NDBS adopted the Governance Code for

Voluntary & Community Organisations (Type B Organisation) and we can be seen on the Register of Compliance at www.governancecode.ie

See Change

We are very active online and use our website, Facebook & Twitter pages to support campaigns like 'Green Ribbon' (May 2014) which aims to reduce the stigma attached to mental ill health.

http://www.befriendingservice.com/

https://twitter.com/BefriendService

https://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Dublin-Befriending-Service/124036284347

Examples of Referral AgentsWe get referrals from the following:St. Patricks Hospital, Connolly Hospital, St. Vincents Hospital, St. Brendans HospitalJoyce Rooms, Fairview Community UnitHamilton Park Care Facility, BalbrigganDr. Seamus Greenan, SwordsCastlebrook Day Hospital / Laurena Day Centre / Kilrock HouseRehab – Outreach Team (mental health) BlanchardstownTechport Day Hospital BlanchardstownRehab Services, 226, NCRCommunity Mental Health Nurses Ballymun Civic CentreNorth Strand Mental Health ClinicBasin ClubNational Learning NetworkEve Holdings

We currently have a waiting list of over 40 people

Volunteer Recruitment Process• Volunteers can apply on-line through our website.

• They can apply through Volunteer Ireland and various other community Websites or we can send them out an application

• They must do the preparatory training

• Their two references are checked

• They are Garda Vetted

• They are then matched

• They complete the on-going training offered by NDBS

VolunteersVolunteers are supported by the coordinatorVolunteer Preparatory training takes place 4 times a year

2014 Volunteer On-going Training Schedule

SafeTalk Course Monday 22nd September 2014

Self Harm Lecture Tuesday 27th May 2014

Mindfulness Lecture Dates to be Arranged

Volunteer Preparatory Training2 days 10am – 3pm – Compulsary

Course Content

Mental Health issues

NDBS Code of Conduct

Policies & Procedures

Volunteer policy and supports

The work of the Volunteer Befriender

Communications

Active Listening

Empowerment

Boundaries

Scenarios

NDBS Weekly ScheduleSocial Clubs run on a weekly basis throughout the year as follows: Coolock Club: Tuesday nights Suaimhneas Clubhouse, Unit 103, Newtown Industrial Estate, Coolock, Dublin 17.

Finglas Club: Wednesday nightsMerville Court (beside St. Oliver Plunkett's Church), Finglas, Dublin 11 Blanchardstown Club: Thursday nightsConai Clubhouse, No.1 Main Street (opposite Vineyard pub) Blanchardstown Dublin 15

One-to-one Befriending. One-to-one matches meet on a weekly basis throughout the year.Volunteers and Befriendees are called regularly to see how things are going.

Other EventsApart from weekly events

May 2014 Green Ribbon Month Reduce the stigma around Mental Health 31st May Womens World RDS

June 20142nd June Womens Mini Marathon (10 ladies doing mini marathon)

Wexford Maratime Festivalweek to Bundoran Holiday Centre, Co. Donegal.

July 20133rd July BBQ in Conai Clubhouse, Blanchardstown (Hawiian Theme)

Bundoran Respite Holiday 11th – 17th July 3 staff and 20 members will go for a weeks holiday in Donegal.

August 2013

Day Trip – Saturday 10th August

Fota Island Nature Park

September - December 2013

Dublin Bay Cruise

Halloween Party

Christmas Party

How many people are involved?Current Matches •19 Female•9 Male

•Social Club Blanchardstown 53 members •Social Club Finglas 35 members•Social Club Coolock 43 members

We send out 180 texts per week to members

35 emails and 36 faxes to various Mental Health Facilities

Results of Service User QuestionnairesResults from a questionnaire given to all our befriendees

shows the following:

100% Said were satisfied with service they received from Volunteers.

100% Said they would recommend the service to a friend.

75% felt their self confidence and self esteem had increased.

95% felt that the sense that they had things to look forward to in their life had increased.

Volunteers have also documented how they have gained positive experience’s and benefits from involvement in the service.

Comments on One-to-One Befriending

“I found it fantastic. Something as simple as meeting a friend for a chat in a coffee shop is very important when you’re low or depressed”.

“Having the one-to-one contact was a real benefit. When you’re not feeling well, going into a crowd on your own can be a bit much”.

“Basically we all need someone to listen to us and someone to understand us. When I get better, I would love to be a volunteer to this service”.

Comments on Social Clubs“I was willing to do anything that could improve my life and thankfully 3 years later - lots of enjoyable days out, nights out, cups of tea/coffee, sharing experiences and tips-n-hints on healthy living mentally physically from other members, several holidays away in Ireland and lots of chat, support, time, understanding, caring and laughter and fun, I'm still here, Thank God!”

“I could be myself and developed as an individual socially and personally, as I had become very outgoing, bubbly, full of life and finally became confident in myself to be myself around other people. I wasn't afraid to speak up and just talk freely without having to watch my Ps & Qs.”

Social Club Comments Cont/…• The befriending service has helped me be more confident and

I feel that I actually fit in somewhere, it made me happy to find out about the befriending service as it is a way of making new friends, no-one judges anyone and we all get on great (like part of a team) I have a reason to leave the house on Tuesday evenings now and that is to go to the Coolock Befrienders Group Nikki

Our Aim

• With a strong commitment to the principle of “Recovery”, our aim is to empower those living in the community with a mental health difficulty to fully engage in community life, consistent with their own aspirations and preferences.

• Furthermore we aim to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness.

Thanks for listening

Any Questions?