Volunteer Hub
Volunteer befrienders for people in prison
Organisation Details
New Bridge Foundation
Activity type: Prisoners and Ex-Offenders
Stellify Award: This opportunity is part of 'Make a Difference'
Description of role: Support a person in prison by giving them a connection to the outside world, and helping strengthen their feeling of
hope for the future and their place in the community.
We recruit and train volunteers to become befrienders. Volunteers select a person in prison to be matched with, and then exchange letters (about once a fortnight), also arranging to visit them in prison 3-4 times a year. All expenses related to visits are reimbursed.
People in prison who do not have any visits from family or friends have much worse outcomes: increased rates of self-harm; increased likelihood of reoffending on release; and sadly, increased rates of suicide. Our aim is to bridge this gap by providing a social connection for the most isolated prisoners by matching them with our trained volunteer befrienders.
Volunteers receive full training and ongoing support via our monthly volunteer support group meetings (which take place via zoom) - these are a friendly and supportive space to update on how things are going with your prisoner, and to ask advice from more experienced volunteers. We take volunteer safeguarding very seriously, and do not share any personal information with prisoners: you will write and visit under a pseudonym. You will send your letters directly to the prison, but replies will come to our office and be redirected out to you.
You can find out more and fill out an application form on our website: www.newbridgefoundation.org.uk
After you have completed an application form you will be invited for a one-to-one interview over zoom, after which you will join a group training session (also over zoom) before you are allocated to a support group.
hope for the future and their place in the community.
We recruit and train volunteers to become befrienders. Volunteers select a person in prison to be matched with, and then exchange letters (about once a fortnight), also arranging to visit them in prison 3-4 times a year. All expenses related to visits are reimbursed.
People in prison who do not have any visits from family or friends have much worse outcomes: increased rates of self-harm; increased likelihood of reoffending on release; and sadly, increased rates of suicide. Our aim is to bridge this gap by providing a social connection for the most isolated prisoners by matching them with our trained volunteer befrienders.
Volunteers receive full training and ongoing support via our monthly volunteer support group meetings (which take place via zoom) - these are a friendly and supportive space to update on how things are going with your prisoner, and to ask advice from more experienced volunteers. We take volunteer safeguarding very seriously, and do not share any personal information with prisoners: you will write and visit under a pseudonym. You will send your letters directly to the prison, but replies will come to our office and be redirected out to you.
You can find out more and fill out an application form on our website: www.newbridgefoundation.org.uk
After you have completed an application form you will be invited for a one-to-one interview over zoom, after which you will join a group training session (also over zoom) before you are allocated to a support group.
Skills / qualities associated with the role: Oral Communication Skills, Written Communication Skills
Are volunteer expenses available?: Yes
Duration of role: Ongoing / Long term
Opportunity times: Monday AM, Monday PM, Monday Evening, Tuesday AM, Tuesday PM, Tuesday Evening, Wednesday AM, Wednesday PM, Wednesday Evening, Thursday AM, Thursday PM, Thursday Evening, Friday AM, Friday PM, Friday Evening, Saturday AM, Saturday PM, Saturday Evening, Sunday AM, Sunday PM, Sunday Evening
DBS required: Off
Can reasonable adjustments be made regarding additional needs?: Yes
Is this organisation part of the Sports Volunteering Scheme (SVS)?: No
Minimum hours commitment: 3 hours per month
Location:
Remote