Interest Link Borders aims to improve the quality of life of people with learning disabilities (formerly called metal hadicap) through volunteer befriending. We were founded in Berwickshire in 1990 and expanded to cover the whole of the Scottish Borders through branches in Duns, Galashiels, Hawick and Peebles in 2001. The need we meet: Althugh most people with moderate and severe learning disabilities now live in the comunity, they are still socially excluded as they have no socialy contacts outside their family, day centre or school, no experience of making friends and no transport. This is frustrating, isolating and limiting; they cannot pursue interests, participate in mainstram community activities, make choices, gain skills or develop independence.
Services 2009 -12 Adult Service: links people 1:1 with compatible volunteers so that they can meet up regularly for activities they both enjou. Typical activities include going to evening classes, using public transport, playing golf, painting, bird watching, shopping, swimming, having coffee, horse riding, playing football or going to the cinema or a concert. The service has 285 registered users and has made 400 befriending links since 2001. At any one time around 110 links are usually in operation. There are 3 types of link: Longterm community links. These have no time limits. Regularity of meeting up varies from once a week to once a month. Evening class link. These are limited to a term at a Borders College or community class. Student Placements links: Higher Care students from Borders College are placed as volunteers from September to March. Our Young Peoples Service was launched in July 2008 and helps young people aged 16-25 who are in transition from childrens' to adults' learning disabilities services. It involves 4 staff-supervised groups, each of 6 young service users and 6 young volunteer mentors. In addition to social and leisure activities, there are drama, music and citizenship workshops which discuss the choices open to young people as they become adults. Our Children's Service Pilot is running from September 2009 to March 2011. It enables children 11-16 who have complex learning needs to access mainstream out-of-school activities. The service is similar to our Adult Service, the obvious difference being that we match adult volunteers with children.

Area Covered: Tweeddale
Opening Hours: N/A

Address:
Volunteer Resource Centre
Newby Court
School Brae
Peebles
EH45 8AL

Last Updated: Friday 5th March, 2010

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