Volunteer Buddy Project

What will you be doing?
You will participate in the Buddy Project, in which you will undertake activities every two weeks with people who, as a result of psychological vulnerability, have little social contact or have difficulty doing things outside the home independently.

You will therefore be paired with someone who does not mix easily in society and maintains social contacts less easily, but who would like to be more active in society or with hobbies again. You are needed to help that person take that step outside. You and your buddy form a pair and will do activities, such as walking, cycling, sports, grocery shopping, visiting museums or films, or playing board games. Sometimes offering a listening ear is enough, but it could also be that one of your hobbies can be shared.

The activity primarily boils down to being together and maintaining equal contact from person to person. In this regard, we offer monthly digital group supervision, which focuses on the relational process: on the one hand, on actively mitigating the emergence of a client-helper pattern, and on the other hand, on stimulating a mutual open dialogue.

• You will be guided from the sidelines during the introduction and in maintaining contact with your buddy.
• The buddy project is by Roads (part of Arkin, the largest mental healthcare institution in Amsterdam) and you will participate in a digital introductory meeting where you will receive information about mental healthcare, the organization, and various conditions.
• You can participate in a training about psycho-education & safety and then practice situations with an actor.
• In addition to meaningful use of time and learning opportunities, we offer a small standard expense allowance.

• You have an affinity with the target group, you are socially skilled, and you can reflect on your own behavior.
• You are aware that this concerns an equal, informal contact and that a substantive coaching role is not yours.
• It is important that you are willing to meet with your buddy once every fourteen days. You will coordinate among yourselves: day, time, location, and activity.

A Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) is a standard part of our application procedure, so that together we ensure a safe and reliable working environment.

Due to vulnerability and the resulting problems, trust in others is often damaged, and consequently, the social network is small. Receiving attention from you as a volunteer can bring change to that pattern. By providing appreciation, recognition, and distraction, the other person is enabled to regain trust and rebuild contact with the outside world. To allow trust to settle and build upon it, a commitment of approximately one year is needed. Of course, holidays and school schedules will be taken into account.

Working with us
Roads is part of Arkin. Roads guides and reintegrates people with psychological vulnerability or psychiatric problems into day activities, work, or provides a basis for social participation.

The Roads Buddy Project helps people who, as a result of psychological vulnerability, have little social contact or have difficulty undertaking things outside the home independently.

Roads is one of the 11 specialties of Arkin. Together, we are the expert in the field of psychiatry and addiction care. Together, we advocate for the mental resilience of our clients.

Want to know more about this vacancy?
Then please contact Jorise de Boer at telephone 06-57573151 or look at What is the Buddy Project? - Roads projecten