East Fife Mental Health Adolescent Befriending Project

Wed, Apr 2nd 2025 at 12:40 pm - 2:00 pm

Project Manager Jane Maciver

A group of people standing in a line

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Guest speaker was Jane MacIver from the Fife Mental Health Adolescent Befriending Project. This is a Fife-based charity established in 2003 whose primary aim is to support young people between the ages of 12 and 18 years who are socially isolated due to a mental health issues. The charity functions through the use of volunteers who act as ‘befrienders’ to the young people, to make them feel more confident about themselves, to improve their wellbeing, social and life skills with a view to making them feel more connected with friends and family. It recognises that many adolescents have in recent years become more isolated from their peers despite social media being ever-present. There is a growing awareness that the pervasive use of social media, instead of bringing young people together, is in fact isolating them to a greater or lesser extent. Along with other social pressures this is adversely affecting the mental health of an increasing number of young people. The charity draws strength from its use of its volunteer befrienders who are each matched with a young person and they meet up for about two hours every fortnight. This time is spent exclusively working with the young person who, more often than not, is amazed to have someone there exclusively to help them. Through such regular contact a positive, trusting relationship is established which in turn encourages the young person to take part in social activities and to reintegrate into society. The charity, like many others, is finding the current climate very challenging; it would always welcome more volunteers to help with its work and, since funding is also difficult, it would welcome donations to support its very worthwhile aims

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