Befriending
- Location: Age UK Barnet
- Price: Free
Please note, this service is not available outside Age UK Barnet - Head Office's catchment area.
Email: enablingconnections@ageukbarnet.org.uk
Telephone: 0208 150 0967
Our new befriending service is called Enabling Connections. It offers short term support for Barnet residents aged 55 and over who are experiencing loneliness or social isolation, or who have become disconnected from their community following a significant life change.
The service offers free, volunteer-led support for up to six months, helping people build confidence, reconnect with others and become more involved in their local community.
We will continue to support clients on our existing befriending services - for those who are housebound and those living with dementia - but we are not taking on any new referrals at the moment.
All new referrals will be for our Enabling Connections service.
Who is the service for?
The service may be suitable for people who are:
• Living alone or feeling socially isolated
• Recently bereaved
• Recovering from illness or a hospital stay
• Caring for someone else
• Experiencing mild anxiety or low mood linked to loneliness
• Recently diagnosed with dementia and able to engage with support
• Having difficulty in adjusting to a major life change such as retirement
Whether you are independently mobile or housebound, we will work with you to set achievable goals. For people who are housebound, support is focused on helping you access online services, develop digital skills and stay connected. Support may be provided through home visits, telephone calls or digital support, depending on your needs.
How we help
Volunteers work alongside individuals to identify and achieve personal goals, such as:
• Joining local groups or activities
• Building confidence to get out and about
• Reconnecting with friends and the local community
• Learning basic digital skills
• Accessing local services and opportunities
Who is eligible?
Individuals should:
• Be aged 55 years or over
• Live in the London Borough of Barnet
• Be experiencing, or at risk of, loneliness or social isolation
• Be motivated to make positive social changes
• Be able to engage with a volunteer for up to six months
• Have capacity to give informed consent
• Be able to manage their own personal care needs
When the service may not be suitable
The service is not designed for people who require:
• Specialist mental health support
• Ongoing intensive care or case management
• Treatment for substance dependency
• Significant cognitive support that prevents meaningful engagement
Where appropriate, we will try to signpost or refer individuals to more suitable services.
Our volunteers
All volunteers are DBS checked, trained and supported by Age UK Barnet. They provide encouragement and community-based support but do not deliver personal care or clinical services.
Making a referral
To make a referral or discuss whether the service is suitable, please contact Age UK Barnet on:
• 0208 150 0967
or
• enablingconnections@ageukbarnet.org.uk
or
• complete the referral form below.
Together, we can help people build confidence, reduce loneliness and reconnect with their community.