FriendZ Volunteers

• Down’s Syndrome Scotland (Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire)

• VO99484

Want to make a difference? Do something fun and inspirational with a serious impact? Become a FriendZ Meetups Volunteer!

Social isolation and loneliness have a major impact on the health, well-being, and the life expectancy of adults with Down’s Syndrome. Down’s Syndrome Scotland’s exciting new FriendZ Meetups programme aims to tackle the loneliness and social isolation experienced by adults with Down’s syndrome in Scotland.

By becoming a FriendZ Meetups volunteer you can help young adults and adults with Down’s syndrome get out and about more, meet up with each other and grow their friendships as well as their confidence, self-esteem, and independence skills. On top of that, it's also fun, rewarding and will make a serious impact on people experiencing social isolation in Scotland!!

FriendZ volunteers will form part of a team of trained, skilled, volunteers who will support small groups of adults with Down’s syndrome to come together for monthly social, community Meetups designed to promote the development of friendships, social skills, community confidence and independent decision making. Volunteers will also support the group members in identifying activities, groups, and places of interest in their local community that they can access independently.

*The Role:

To support young people and adults with Down’s syndrome to participate in social activities in small groups within their local areas to develop and sustain friendships with their peers through engaging in fun group activities together and gain community confidence.

*What the role involves:

• Person centred support to young adults and adults with Down’s syndrome in participating in a range of fun activities in a social group situation.


• Enable adults with Down’s syndrome to develop their friendships with each other by helping to make meeting arrangements, supporting independent travel and planning the social activities they choose to do.


• To provide discrete individual/group support and promote a positive group dynamic, encouraging participation, responsibility taking and positively acknowledging skills and qualities of group members.


• To ensure group safety and wellbeing through dynamic risk assessment and adaptive decision making.


• Communicate positively with participants, parents and carers.


• To establish and maintain appropriate boundaries within the volunteering relationship.


• To support members to think about what’s on in their local areas and encourage positive lifestyle choices.


• To participate in support, individual and peer supervision meetings and training events.

Activities will take place monthly in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire during weekday evenings and during the day or evenings at weekends. The programme will offer a range of social activities lasting approximately 1-5 hours (3 hours on average)

Interviews and training will take place online.

A fantastic opportunity to help and all volunteers are greatly appreciated. If interested/for further details please contact Shaun Powell, Friendz Meetups Programme Development Worker at email: shaun.powell@dsscotland.org.uk or telephone: 07825586444.

Experience required

We’d like our Friendz volunteers to:

• Be open minded, accepting and non-judgemental – to see the world in a different way.


• Be reliable, consistent and work on your own initiative.


• Have good organisation, listening and communication skills.


• Be confident, kind, friendly, outgoing, with a great sense of humour.


• Have a willingness to learn, take the lead and also be guided by the group.

Full training will be provided

Travel details

Friendz Meetups will take place across a broad range of community venues and places of interest in Aberdeen City and surrounding areas of Aberdeenshire. Expenses paid for activity and travel costs and parking including mileage for car use (where appropriate).

Travel expenses

Public transport costs, activity costs and a mileage allowance (where appropriate) will be paid monthly by funds transfer. Volunteers will be asked to provide receipts for the costs incurred.

• About
• Location
• Notes