To mark World Autism Awareness Week (29 March – 4 April), local disability charity Ruils is launching a recruitment drive, to increase the number of Befrienders working for its SEND Befriending service, which supports children and young people in Kingston and Richmond with disabilities and additional needs, such as autism.

In a typical year, the service provides around 10,000 hours of support to local disabled children and young people in the boroughs of Kingston and Richmond. It currently relies on a team of around 70 paid befrienders, however with a long waiting list of families wanting support for their child, the charity needs many more Befrienders to help fulfil this need.

Hallie Banish, who runs the FriendBee SEND Befriending service in Kingston said:

"There are many children across the borough who are disabled or have additional needs and therefore rely on our service to enable them to get out and enjoy activities of their choice with a peer, which they may not have the ability or confidence to attend alone. With around 1 in 100 UK children on the autistic spectrum, and many others with complex needs, our service is in high demand.

"We are keen to recruit a significant number of additional Befrienders to help meet this need. The role is ideal for someone looking for flexible yet rewarding paid, part time work, supporting children and young people in the borough. Anyone interested in finding out more about working as a Befriender for Ruils should click HERE

Gayathri Anthey is a Kingston University student and works as a current befriender with Ruils. She said "I joined Ruils as a Befriender last year and am currently working with 2 local families. It is incredibly rewarding to know you are making a difference to the life of a young person.

"Not only that, it's a great opportunity to earn money around your studies, while gaining valuable experience and skills that will be useful in developing your career. For an international student like me it's very nice to be connected to a family here and that bond I share with the child is so much more than a job."

A Kingston parent who uses the FriendBee SEND Befriending service said, "Using this service has helped increase the confidence of my son, widening his horizons. Having a musical and artistic mentor who is kindly and friendly helps fill the gap where he has been unable to make friends sufficiently with his peers."

Anyone interested in finding out more about the service should click HERE