IHC’s volunteer friendship programme that matches two people based on similar interests, as well as providing a skills-based programme that allows volunteers to work with people with an intellectual disability in developing a specific skill.
IHC national manager of volunteering Sue Kobar visited the Southland programme last week. She said the programme was developed after talking to people with intellectual disabilities who said they wanted someone in their life who wasn’t paid or a family member.
"Nobody chooses our friends, we choose them for ourselves based on shared or mutual similarities or interests," she said.
"The people that we match often do go on to being lifelong friends, which is really lovely to see."
The friendships developed through the programme often resulted in leaps of confidence.
Southland IHC volunteer co-ordinator Leon Hartnett said more people were looking for friendships in the past few years, and it was great to be able to provide that.
"It is a unique form of volunteering ... It’s about doing what you do, but bringing somebody into your life, like if you go swimming on a Wednesday, if you go to the park on a Thursday, it’s taking somebody along with you."
IHC are looking for more volunteers to take part in the programme.
- To find out more, contact Leon Hartnett on 021 308 549 or go to www.ihc.org.nz.
