Sightline

Sightline are a charity that has been providing a peer-based helpline (0800 5872252) since 2002. We now have lottery funding to expand our services into phone-based befriending, and are keen to receive referrals from professionals for people who have sight loss, and who could benefit from a befriending service. All our volunteers have close experience of sight loss (direct, family/friends, or professional), and are recruited and trained primarily as Befrienders.

How Sightline Befriending works

Sightline’s befriending service works very simply. The stages are as follows:-

• ·Referral – Send a completed form (below) to Sightline
• ·A letter is sent by Sightline to the referred person explaining how the service works
• ·Sightline’s co-ordinator calls the referred person to support the matching process
• ·Sightline matches the person with a befriender and an initial call plan is agreed with all parties
• ·Sightline tells the referrer when the service will start
• ·Weekly befriending calls start on the agreed time and day, but can be skipped if either party is away
• ·Befrienders use a specially designed automated call system so phone numbers are kept confidential
• ·After three to four weeks the initial call plan is reviewed
• ·Plans are regularly reviewed to ensure satisfaction, and progress towards befriending outcomes
• ·If there are serious concerns for someone’s immediate safety, Sightline call their GP or emergency contact. One of these must be provided as a condition of receiving the service.
• ·Calls are recorded, with a sample reviewed for quality and training purposes, but all remain confidential