People Know How have achieved Quality in Befriending Excellence Awards for both our Positive Transitions and Reconnect services, recognising the high quality of practice demonstrated in each.
We’re immensely proud of our staff and VIP teams for attaining two Quality in Befriending Excellence Awards. This nationally recognised accreditation delivered by Befriending Networks is specifically tailored for befriending services in the UK.
Our achievement of this award has truly been a team effort, supporting our befrienders at each stage of their journey with People Know How. From our coordinators delivering the service every day, to our VIP Management team providing inductions and support to befrienders, to our Communications & Digital team ensuring clear and effective communication and resources, to our Head of Service & Research overseeing the services as well as the submission of this award, and much more!
“Both Positive Transitions and Reconnect meet excellence practice and I am very pleased that they are now holders of Quality in Befriending Excellence Award to showcase not only their work in the community but their inclusive and empowering approach. People Know How work closely together with all their stakeholders, creating a very positive learning environment. Well done to the team and continue the amazing work!”
Befriending for young people
At People Know How we’ve been delivering befriending since 2015, starting with befriending for children and young people within our Positive Transitions service. This was developed in response to consultations we ran with over 700 young people in Edinburgh who identified the transition to secondary school as one of their biggest challenges.
The Befriending project matches young people with a volunteer befriender with whom they meet on a regular basis during or after school. These sessions provide young people with a positive role model and a safe environment in which to chat or engage in activities based on their interests. Over the years, we’ve seen our befrienders and befriendees explore arts, crafts, science experiments, games and even cooking!
“It’s really exciting to see how much the service has grown and this award has really given us a seal of approval. The fact that we were working towards standard re-accreditation but were told that we could actually go for Excellence was a great reflection of how far we’ve come and what we’ve achieved.”
In 2018 we were awarded our first Quality in Befriending award and since then have been continually improving our processes and collaborating within our staff team to develop new and innovative ways to communicate and support befriending. We’re now delighted to have been not only re-accredited but also recognised for Excellence.
Befriending for adults
In 2019 we relaunched our Reconnect service to include one-to-one befriending. The service supports adults and families to improve wellbeing through digital and social inclusion. We do this through a three-pronged approach: providing devices, support with digital skills and connectivity.
The Wellbeing & Digital project within Reconnect focuses on providing support with digital skills and wellbeing through adult befriending. Using our befriending model, we match volunteer befrienders to individuals who need support.
Each befriender then designs a programme that addresses the individual's specific needs. Sessions can provide help on a range of themes including learning to use a device, completing everyday tasks online, managing finances online, and finding opportunities for education or employment. Through over-the-phone, online and face-to-face support, the project is designed for anyone who needs help with digital.
“We’re over the moon to have achieved this award and for Reconnect and the systems we have set up to support our befrienders to be recognised in this way.”
Looking ahead
As we continue our work in Edinburgh and East Lothian, we’re also working on projects that will enable us to harness the learning from our work in the local community to affect change on a national scale.
Within Positive Transitions we are working on an action-research project in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh to develop a model of practice that can improve pupil transitions across the country. Our learning from Befriending plays a large part in this research.
Looking to digital, learning from Reconnect and adult befriending has paved the way to the launch of our national campaign Connectivity Now, which aims to end data poverty in Scotland through campaigning and lobbying towards influencing policy change.
We can’t wait to see what’s next in store for our two accredited services, Positive Transitions and Reconnect.