Swiss Re helps BUILD new friends
Swiss Re’s Norwich Community, Sports and Social Committee has supported Norfolk-based charity BUILD with funding for a new befriending project being established in Norfolk.
Established in the 1960s, BUILD supports adults and young people with learning difficulties and other disabilities to access the kind of opportunities in their leisure, and while they are learning, that most of us would take for granted.
Working with over 300 people across Norfolk, BUILD facilitates a range of programmes including not only the community-based programme supported by Swiss Re, but also befriending schemes, supporting days out, short breaks and holidays. It also runs a weekly drop-in social club, attracting up to 70 people each time, two youth groups and a social networking programme for young adults.
The ethos at BUILD is about treating people like people, and only adjusting for the disability if really necessary.
BUILD's Chief Executive, James Kearns, explains how the befriending scheme benefits the people supported by the charity:
“We all like to spend time with our friends, visiting pubs, cafés, restaurants, sports events, shopping, or going walking, bird watching, bowling, or painting, learning a new skill, or just sitting down with a cup of tea and having a chat.
“That's what we do at BUILD. We help people make individual informed choices about leisure and learning opportunities, and then support them in taking part in these opportunities in their local community or further afield if necessary.
“We do this by employing a small team of staff facilitators, providing office-based management back-up and recruiting, training and supporting a team of more than 120 volunteers, who support the engagement. The volunteers receive personal induction training, ongoing skills training, and regular reviews.”
BUILD has expanded its services over the last 40 years, led by a board of trustees comprising, and appointed by, the people who benefit from our services. Four in every five of the trustees has a learning difficulty. They are the equivalent of the board of directors in a private company, they are the decision makers and have legal responsibility to ensure things go right.
“We were really keen to work with BUILD”, said Matthew Burrell, Chairman of Swiss Re's Community Sports and Social Committee. “We like to work with groups that have a strong developmental ethos not only for their users, but also volunteers. Some of the first steps to social integration people take with BUILD could eventually allow for further education and career prospects that may previously not been possible.”
In an always challenging financial climate, BUILD recruits volunteers to support a wide range of roles from front line support to marketing, fundraising and event management.
For more information e mail volunteer@buildnorwich.org.uk or call James Kearns on 01603 618029.
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