With Bute having one of the highest elderly populations in Scotland, and coupled with the additional challenges of rural communities, Cowal Befrienders were asked in 2013 by the Bute and Cowal Reshaping Care for Older People (RCOP) locality group to research, scope and evaluate the potential need for a Befriending or Social Contact Initiative on Bute. Our research found that although there was a great sense of community throughout the island and some fantastic local groups which older people can attend, there was a lack of services for the frail older population who find it hard to access the community (or even transport) without assistance, and loneliness and isolation was reported as a problem for older people by professionals within both Statutory and Voluntary organisations.

 

In April 2014 we were awarded funding through the RCOP 'Change Fund' to establish a Befriending project on Bute. Bute Elderly Befrienders is a forward-thinking befriending project which puts our clients firmly at the centre of what we do. Our experience of running a befriending project in Cowal has led us to develop a model which embraces both 1-2-1 and Peer Befriending (facilitating clients to create and maintain their own relationships within their peer group).

 

Our range of services developed from listening to clients and trying to meet the needs expressed and we continue to work in this way, constantly reviewing and evaluating the services we offer.

 

Bute Befrienders employs an Outreach Worker to co-ordinate and facilitate all of our services, and we have a wheelchair-accessible minibus which is used to provide our Out & About and other Peer Befriending services.

 

Investing in staff and volunteer training is important to us, and we pride ourselves in pioneering new ways of working, based on current Health and Social Care research. We believe that all older people in Scotland, whatever their circumstances, have a right to live independently and with a high quality of life in the communities they helped create.