Through a network of trained volunteers, Family Friends provides befriending and mentoring services to disadvantaged families living in Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham and South East Brent. Through respect, encouragement and support our mission is to ‘help families to help themselves’, in order that they can discover their strengths and build on their coping skills. At final assessment over 95% of families report improvements as a result of the service, with 100% rating the service ‘Good’ to ‘Great’. Our outcomes show that we build confidence in parenting and parent/child relationships and that we reduce isolation. We promote emotional and physical health in families and improve access to health and community services. Our mentors introduce greater stability into children’s lives and give academic support. They also build aspirations and plan for economic improvements.
Family Friends offers two services across Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham and South East Brent: 1) Parent Befriending - for parents with a child or children under the age of 16 years and 2) Child Mentoring - for children aged between 5 and 16 years. We carefully recruit, train and match volunteers with parents or children. Volunteers meet the family in their home, once a week for two hours. They offer long-term practical and emotional help based on each family's unique needs and potential. Volunteers pledge a commitment of one year and Family Friends' staff back up their work with on-going supervision and family feedback interviews. Family Friends is an Approved Provider of The Mentoring & Befriending Foundation.
