Would YOU like to be a BDFA PEER BEFRIENDER?
The BDFA were proud to launch a new Peer Befriending service in 2022 to help support families in a way that only other parents of children with Batten Disease will be able to do. We’re so excited to now be seeking our new team of parent volunteers for our January 2023 course… could you be one of them?
‘What is a Peer Befriender?’
A Peer Befriender is a trained volunteer who may be on their own journey with their child with Batten Disease or they may be a bereaved parent. Peer Befrienders offer emotional support to parents whose child/children have recently been diagnosed with Batten Disease, are at a point of change or facing a particular challenge. Peer Befriending training can also be very encouraging and have a positive impact for the Peer Befrienders, as well as to the parents they support.
Already the Peer Befriending project is proving to be hugely beneficial to our Battens Community. You all have so much experience and support to share with one another and we’re proud to be able to help deliver this in a structured and supervised way.
“Peer Befriending for me is my time with a person who is like a soul-mate. This person knows how it is to live each day with children who have Batten Disease. We can have friendly conversations, share happy moments and talk about worries.”Marta
Full training will be provided as well as monthly supervision (all taking place on Zoom).
Training covers active listening, the parent journey, boundaries and safeguarding. It is co-delivered by experienced Peer Befriending Trainer, Dr Jane Peek (who is also the parent of a child with additional needs) and Mimi Petty, the BDFA’s Peer Befriending Coordinator (whose son Bertie had CLN1 Batten Disease).
Our Peer Befriending Training Course will start on Tuesday 10th January 2023 and will take place on a weekly basis over 7 sessions. Training will be run as a group session on Zoom from 10:00am – 1:00pm, with short breaks in between.
If you are interested in applying to be a Peer Befriender for the BDFA then please contact
Mimi Petty, Peer Befriending Coordinator
mimipetty@bdfa-uk.org.uk or call 077877 55278
We look forward to hearing from you!