Friends United Network (FUN)
To support and develop self-esteem, emotional resilience, social skills and other personal qualities among children aged 5-16 through developed friendships with adult volunteers. The children are from socially isolated, single parent families and are matched with adult volunteers aged 21 or over.)
Main Activity
Friends choose activites together, which may include going to the park or a playground, swimming, eating out, visiting a museum, going to the volunteer's home to do cooking, art activities. Forming a strong friendship is the main goal.
Description
FUN match socially isolated children (aged 5-16) from low income, single parent families with reliable and trustworthy adults (volunteers) to form long-term friendships. A volunteer commits to spending 2-4 hours a week with their friend for at least 2 years. Such friendships develop a child's emotional resilience and self-esteem and often make a profound difference to a child's present and future. Regular, dependable, positive one-to-one attention is of crucial importance to vulnerable children whose parent struggles to find the time they need. Activities include going to the park or playground, swimming, eating out, visiting a museum and more, and are usually negotiated between the volunteer and child.
Sectors: young people, children
