Through its Bilingual Befriending project, SIS sets up Befriending matches between people with a shared culture and language to create friendships. Migrants, particularly the most recently arrived, are especially vulnerable to loneliness and isolation. A regular weekly phone call is a positive social experience that relieves isolation and other social stresses. It is distraction from everyday problems, can boost confidence, connect people with the community, help with integration and provide a sense of purpose.
One of our Befriending Volunteers has shared his thoughts about being part of this project:
“I’m originally from Spain, and I have been volunteering for SIS as a Bilingual Befriender. I’ve had a really good experience because the person I was matched with was more or less the same age so we could share a lot of experiences or cultural similarities.
Sometimes it was hard, I’m not going to lie, but I felt empathy with this person because some of the problems he was having at that time, I had them before. I could tell his reactions were like the reactions I was having sometimes. So it made sense. I was trying in a subtle manner to make sure that this person would not repeat what I did, to take the same decisions I did because they did not lead me to the right path. In the end this person managed really well I think, he did an amazing job, he was really brave. He had to deal with depression and sometimes we were talking and he would be on his own and for days not talking to a single person. That was quite sad. Then you realise how lucky you are and have been.
It is hard sometimes to cheer someone up, because from what they tell you, and if you have a bit of empathy with this person you will understand a bit more, or you share some cultural similarities or similar background… you can see their reactions. There was one day I just mentioned a tv advert from the 90s back when I was a child, and he caught the joke immediately. It was something that was on tv and probably all Spanish children at that time knew about that advert. And it made him laugh, just for a beautiful second in that time and situation.
Last time I spoke to him, he was doing quite well, he went back to Spain, he was getting a job and had his family next to him. What I liked the most about him is that he recognised he had a problem and looked for help, me for example I didn’t have the courage to do that. That’s what I should have done, and I didn’t do it. I didn’t want him to repeat what I did.”
You can find out how to refer someone for befriending or get in touch about volunteering here.
