Buddyzorg Nijmegen e.o.Personal assistance by volunteers of Buddycare Nijmegen and

surroundings

Voluntary assistance that is based on mutual solidarity and emotional involvement Relation between client and buddy essential Personal relationship the tool

• Meeting of 2 people who appreciate this meeting and choose for it• Partners on equal terms• Intensive personal assistance

Origins of Buddycare

Since 1981: • HIV/ Aids• One- to- one support for people with HIV/Aids• development from purely voluntary assistance to professional guided

voluntary assistance Since 2000• Broadened to people with other diseases and disorders

Expansion to other forms of voluntary one-to- one support systems • For people coming from another culture• For youngsters without a proper social network• For children who lack personal attention• For people with a drug addiction• Etc.

NIM Maatschappelijk Werk

Voluntary projects:• ‘Me and You’ • ‘In contact’• ‘COIL’• ‘Neighbourhoods Mediation’

What is buddycare:

• Social-emotional assistance and support • To individual clients with life-threatening or chronic diseases that

have a significant impact on their life• Also to clients with other disorders or problems for who buddycare is

a appropriate solution• Focused on strengthening their autonomy and personal power• In line with their own questions and for a defined period

Our clients:

• People with HIV/Aids• People with life-threatening diseases• People with chronic diseases• People psychiatric diseases• People who are stuck in mourning • Etc.

Mostly complex problems on several areas

Buddycare is provided:

• By volunteers who fit to the requirements• And who work from professional involvement with preservation of

functional distance Buddy’s:• Divers group of men and women from different backgrounds

Professional support structure

Including: • Recruitment and selection of buddy 's• Intake with clients, to help to identify client's wishes and needs• Basic training of buddy 's• Matching of client and buddy• Point of contact for questions and problems, for clients and buddy’s• Monitor and evaluate the development of the buddy care• Guidance of buddy’s in the form of supervision and training

The basics of buddyzorg:

The theory of ‘Being Present’ :Being there and doing what has to be done

• It is about the relationship not about the solitions• Engagement essential• Not running away for pain, sorrow, the incorrigible• Allowing the orther to be who he/she is • Following everyday ,ordinary life

Buddy Training :

• Knowledge of and insight in the practice of buddycare• Insight in ones own motivation to become a buddy• Knowledge of and insight in the theory of Being Present• Awareness of the distinction between volunteer, friend, social worker• Insight in empowerment strategies

Training(2)

• (Exercising) communication skills, • Listening, summarizing, asking questions• Giving and receiving feedback• Communicating ‘bad news’

• Dealing with limitations of buddycare• Determined limits• Flexible limits

• Dealing with loss and Mourning• Theory of cooping mechanisms • Exploration of ‘Do’s and Do not s’• What is helpful what is not ?• What can be learned by own experiences of loss and mourning?

Dilemma's at buddycare

• Being ‘present’, easyer said than done

• Defined period of buddycare vs ‘Being Present

• Targeted care (according to the wishes of the client) vs ‘Being Present’• Distinction buddy, friend, social worker

• People who are hard to match but who are surely in need of buddyzorg

Custom-made practice

• All buddy’s are different, all clients are different • There is no answer that is valid for all situations• Buddycare is custom-made practice where is looked for the best

possible option for both buddy and client