Befriending Scheme
Everyone needs friendships and if you are living in a new country away from family and friends, this is particularly important. Making cross cultural friendships brings joy, exchange of ideas, new ways of thinking and all the learning and open minded tolerance that makes for a thriving community. It doesn’t come without challenges and PERN’s Befriending Scheme helps to ensure safe and secure befriending, often leading to ongoing friendships. Please note that this is not a dating scheme.
Our befriending programme is a social arrangement where befriendee and befriender commit to regularly spending time together over a 3 month period for chatting, listening, practicing English and exploring local places and activities. We expect you to meet face to face, but recognise that some weeks this could be a phone call or online connection instead. You are encouraged to meet in local place, such as a coffee shop, sports club, community café, library, museum or art gallery or go together to local free activities. The programme is not an advice service but sometimes a Befriender might help their friend fill in a form, understand a letter or sign-post someone to relevant services.
We also know that some people feel more comfortable meeting new people if they have a friend with them. Befriendee and befrienders may come forward as a pair of friends or a couple.
Apply for our Befriending Scheme
If you are a refugee or asylum seeker, you can apply to take part by clicking here and filling in a short form.
If you are someone who would like to be a Befriender, you can apply to take part by clicking here and filling in a short form.
If you have any questions please do get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.