Volunteer Befriending Scheme Grows With Success

A volunteer befriending scheme for people with PSP is being rolled out to two new areas of the country following the success of a pilot study.

The scheme, which has been successfully trialled in Yorkshire, Newcastle and Scotland, is now being extended to Greater Manchester & Cheshire, and Greater London and Hertfordshire.

The aim of the scheme is to train volunteers who have experience of PSP to befriend people currently living with the disease, and their families and carers.

Jon Stevens, Volunteer Service Manager at the PSP Association, which is running the scheme, said the first round of training had gone very well, with five volunteer befrienders trained for Yorkshire, three in Newcastle and a further three about to undertake training in Scotland.

“The role of the volunteer befriender is to offer emotional and practical support to people living with PSP and their families and carers,” said Jon.

“That might involve volunteers visiting the person or just speaking with them on the phone. Each befriender relationship will be different and will take its own course. People might need a listening ear, help to access the right services or just want someone to play a game of cards with them. It’s different for everyone.”

The PSP Association is now recruiting volunteers for Greater Manchester and Cheshire, and Greater London and Hertfordshire, and hopes to extend the scheme to other areas  of the country later this year.

“At the moment most of the volunteer befrienders are past carers of PSP which means they have direct experience not only of the disease but of the emotional and practical issues people face,” said Jon. “This makes it easier for them but it is not essential that people have been a carer in the past. “

Volunteers undergo a one-day training course which includes learning about the role of the befriender, the disease and the issues people face, plus the role of the PSP Association.

All expenses are paid to cover the costs of the volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer befriender or in any other voluntary roles with the PSPA please call Jon on 07587 130631.