FAQ

All staff and volunteers are vetted with an enhanced CRB (Criminal Records bureau) check, clearance from their GP and social services plus two personal references. Our staff and volunteers undergo intense training in safeguarding, confidentiality and health & safety. For all activities and trips there will be a staff member trained in first aid present. We complete a risk assessment for all befriending matches, group settings, activities and trips.

Volunteers interact with groups of young people to help them socialise and take part in activities. We aim to build up young people’s confidence and self-esteem through interaction and activities. The Assisting Social Development group helps young people with an ASD diagnosis/statement understand friendships and social interaction. Journey 10 is for young people with low confidence or low level behavioural problems and young carers group gives those in that role the chance to meet others in the same situation.

Befrienders meet the child they are matched with regularly for around two hours at a mutually convenient time, sometimes doing an activity. Their aim is to support the child and help them grow in confidence.

No, all females are matched with a female volunteer. In group settings there is normally a mixture of male and female staff.

The majority of our work is funded by Bexley council along with donations from other sources (we are a registered charity.) However, we do charge a small fee for our weekly groups and any ad-hoc activities (trips etc) that we organise.

We are required to share information or concerns about any young people with the relevant agency or professional.

Once the referral is received it is allocated to the relevant project lead. They will contact you to arrange a home visit or for you and your child to come to the office to meet them. A few days after the meeting they will contact you to let you know what support we can offer your child or to discuss why we are not the right service for them-and possible alternative organisations that could help. Once we can see that you and your child are ready to engage with us your child will be asked to set themselves some goals. All parties will sign an agreement and you will be informed when the support is likely to start.

We offer the same level of service to all, irrespective of ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religion. The only criteria to be met are that the young person will benefit from our service and the project has the skills and resources to take them on.Bullying of any kind is unacceptable within the Bexley Moorings Project. We endeavour to provide a caring, friendly and safe atmosphere for all of our young people so they can thrive in a relaxed and secure environment.We work with the young person and their family to try and resolve challenging behaviour, however we reserve the right to withdraw from the agreement at any time if there is any unacceptable or inappropriate behaviour.

Groups: Part of the support plan includes helping the young person to become more confident and able to move on to a main stream activity or group and make new friends. We encourage them and provide information on local activities. See links for young people’s activities in the area.Befriending: The aim is to help the young person develop confidence and gain the skills to cope with any difficulties in order to make positive changes in their lives. After the appropriate number of sessions there is no structured follow up since the young person will be discharged once they have achieved their goals.