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► Friends Action North East

What: FANE is a charity in the North East which supports adults with a learning disability make and keep friendships. Our one to one friendship mentoring project matches up volunteer friendship builders (mentors) with friendship finders with a learning disability to support them to build friendships and make community links with-in their own communities.

The Volunteer Role: Friendship Builder (mentor)

A friendship mentor would offer a couple of hours a week to support someone be more active in their own community, be it gardening within an allotment, going fishing, clubbing, going to art class or gallery, etc. We are looking to match our volunteer friendship builders with friendship finders who have similar interests and hobbies. Training and ongoing support is provided.

Skills/benefits/experiences: There are many experiences, opportunities and skills to be gained from our volunteer posts, we offer accredited and ongoing training a spart of our project thisincludes a national certificate and qualification in learning disabilities. Our own unique accredited training program in friendship which explores subjects such as advocacy, autonomy, human rights, citizenship safeguarding vulnerable adults etc.

Training and experience in hobbies interest areas i.e. art, gardening, horse riding etc

We are a small and friendly team working closely together with a real sense of community and a passion in our aim’s. At FANE we acknowledge our volunteers work and celebrate their successes; we often have social events for our volunteers and ongoing opportunities for volunteers to work together sharing good practice and supporting one another.

Lots of our volunteers have stated personal reward in being able to support someone else to become less isolated, meet new people, build friendships and follow their dreams.

We particularly want to hear from male volunteers