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Bridges Unlimited for People with Learning Difficulties
Bridges Unlimited for People with Learning Difficulties
Bridges Unlimited for People with Learning Difficulties
Bridges Unlimited for People with Learning Difficulties
Bridges Unlimited for People with Learning Difficulties
Wednesday Club Services BeFriends STEPS Youth Group MTV
Building equality, confidence and opportunity, for people with learning difficulties
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FURTHER INFORMATION

QUESTIONS

Please click on the question to view the answer.

Q1. I don’t really know what having a learning difficulty means?
Q2. I am interested in volunteering but have no experiences of working with people with learning difficulties. Does this matter?
Q3. As a volunteer how much time would I need to give?
Q4. What about volunteer expenses.
Q5. I think I would like to volunteer but would like to know a little more first.
Q6. Which geographical area does BUILD cover?
Q7. Are BUILD volunteers vetted beforehand?
Q8. I am or I have someone who would like to become a member of BUILD. What do I need to do?
Q9. Do members of BUILD have to pay?
Q10. What is advocacy?
Q11. How do I donate to BUILD?

If you have any further questions please contact us

ANSWERS

A1.

It is very difficult to state exactly what a learning difficulty is. We asked some of the members of BUILD what having a learning difficulty means to them:

“Having difficulty speaking, getting confused and not having much confidence”

“Difficulty with problems and needing support with things like crossing the road”

One member who used to live on his own said he couldn’t cope with cooking and got muddled with money.

One of our BUILD volunteers commented that it was impossible to describe someone with a learning difficulty as it covered too large and diverse a group of people and that we are all individuals with different personalities.

A2. No. We provide initial and ongoing support as well as training. However the most important factor is a willingness to work with people with learning difficulties enabling them to lead active and fulfilling lives.
A3. As much as you want. This can be weekly, fortnightly or monthly and it is important that you find a time commitment that suits you. We do ask that once you have made a time commitment that you stick to it, where possible.
A4. As a rule, we cover all volunteer expenses. This includes travel costs and any extra costs incurred.
A5. Please either contact us for an information pack or for a very informal chat. There will be no pressure put on you to volunteer but we would very much like the opportunity to tell you a bit more about BUILD and its projects.
A6. BUILD covers the Norwich area, although there is now also a BeFriends project in North Norfolk (covering the areas between Sheringham to Walcott and inland to North Walsham). We are fully aware of a need for our services within other parts of the county (and beyond) and hope to expand in the future.
A7. Yes. Volunteers are police checked via the Criminal Records Bureau. We also require them to provide 2 references.
A8. For all people interested in joining BUILD as a member, a referral form first needs to be completed. Contact us if you would like us to send you one.
A9. Fees paid by members will depend on which services they use. They range from £1 per person per night to attend Wednesday Club or Youth Group to £25 for an annual fee to access an active Befriending partnership.
A10.

There are different types of advocacy:

Self-Advocacy is when we speak up for ourselves, telling people what we need and want to do.

Crisis Advocacy is needed when we need a person to talk to on our behalf in a crisis situation e.g. if the police are involved or at the hospital.

Citizen Advocacy is when a person is asked by us to talk on our behalf may be at a meeting or at a conference.

Peer Advocacy is when another group or club member talks for us if we are finding it difficult to say what we want to say.

Group Advocacy is when a group of people get together to speak up for themselves to change things like we did through Me, Myself and I.

A11. You can get an overview of how to donate by clicking on the funding page, or you can contact the office to give you further details of this procedure.
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