It will sponsor the NAS Befriending Scheme in Birmingham, allowing at least 50 families to be matched up with a volunteer Befriender.
Befrienders provide a lifeline to families by spending a few hours a week with a person with autism or Asperger syndrome or their family. Volunteers are matched with people who share the same interests and live close to each other.
Befrienders offer a much needed break to parents and provide opportunities for the child to enjoy a range of activities, such as going for a walk or to the cinema. Children with autism often have difficulty developing friendships and may lead lonely lives; a Befriender can help them to feel less isolated. It is also very rewarding for the volunteers who are given full training and support from the NAS during their placement.
The partnership has already recruited 70 Legal & General employees as volunteers with the scheme. To complement this, The NAS is running a series of Befriender Training sessions in Legal & General’s Birmingham Offices, starting in July.
Sylvia Owen, NAS Befriending manager in Birmingham, said: “I am thrilled at the generosity of Legal & General and look forward to this new partnership between our two organisations. Befrienders make a huge difference to the lives of people with autism and their families and carers. It takes a lot of hard work and time to recruit, train and support them to ensure their placement is successful. The NAS is a charity and dependant on donations to be able to help people with autism who may otherwise not receive any support from other services.”
Andy Dawson, operations director at Legal & General’s general insurance business, said: “We are extremely proud to be associated with such a worthwhile scheme and hope that people in the local community will be able to benefit from the support NAS are now able to provide as soon as possible.”
