Befriending Volunteer with British Sign Language skills - Eastleigh

We are looking for a compassionate and patient individual to volunteer as a befriender to a person we support in Eastleigh who is deaf. We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, some may also have sight loss. The ideal volunteer will have a caring nature, a good knowledge of BSL (British Sign Language) or a willingness to learn, and a passion for supporting others in gaining independence and confidence in their daily lives.

Volunteers will benefit the person we support by visiting them in their supported living home and doing activities they enjoy. These might include having a chat, reading books, playing sport, or playing video or board games. Volunteers are encouraged to find out what the person we support interests and hobbies are. Volunteers are needed for a few hours a week (flexible).

About Us

Registered as The Royal School for the Blind, SeeAbility is one of the oldest disability charities in the UK. In 2024 we celebrated our 225th anniversary, having pioneered specialist support across multiple generations since 1799!

We specialise in supporting people who have learning disabilities, autism, complex needs, who may also have sight loss. Our support ranges from providing person-centred support across our many supported-living and residential care provisions. Furthermore, we provide specialist eye-care services to children and adults alike and assists people to find paid employment for the very first time.

SeeAbility provides the resources and expertise that make this possible, we support people to live ambitious lives and achieve things they never thought possible.

Benefits

• This is a fantastic opportunity to give something positive back to society and have a direct impact  on people’s lives
• Through this volunteer role, you can gain experience and develop your skill set
•  SeeAbility provides training which could be added to your CV
• Volunteers can claim travel expenses

Skills

Skills Required

• To be kind, empathetic and friendly
• A reasonable level of British Sign Language (BSL)
• An understanding of the deaf culture, autism and learning disabilities
• To have a good sense of humour and love to chat
• To be punctual and reliable
• Available to volunteer for 1-3 hours a week or fortnight
• To be able to deal with information in line with our data protection and confidentiality procedures