The Act of Befriending ~ Amma’s listening ear
MACCS Befriending Companions Service:
The Act of Befriending ~ Amma’s listening ear
‘Manasigē satyasaṅga nīḍu
Focus the mind to befriend the truth
Manasanu tattavajote mǡḍu
Make the mind to befriend the principles’
Extract taken from Amma’s bhajan: ‘Manasige Kachi Koluva Ase’ 2020
“Hello, is this Elba? Elba, you called MACCS Befriending Companions 3 days ago and spoke to Raji. She took down your details and let you know that someone would call you within 3–5 days to befriend you. Well my name is Harriet and I am your befriender.”
Loneliness and isolation during the time of the Covid19 lockdown saw a huge spike in numbers of people afflicted by this. Because of the concerns around the effects this can have on mental and emotional wellbeing, many groups of volunteers sprung up in organised hubs to reach out to those people self-isolating or screened and others that were too frightened to leave their houses. Much good has been achieved during these times. Communities came together, people reached out to one another. And a group of dedicated volunteers of Amma devotees came together to create a national befriending companions telephone service. This service is intended to be a long term project as the effects are far reaching and long standing both physically and mentally. There was already a huge problem of loneliness and isolation in the UK even before lockdown; in 2014, the UK was described as the Loneliness Capital of Europe with over 2.8 million people reporting that they were suffering.
So what makes us want to volunteer our time? What motivates us to reach out to call someone for a chat for an hour a week as a befriender?
I asked a couple of the MACCS Befriending Companions wonderful befrienders who have been connecting once a week for an hour with their befriendees for the past 6–8 weeks.
So please tell me, what motivated you to volunteer as a befriender companion?
“I wanted to give back because I am given so much from Amma. I enjoy and receive a lot from one to one connections so had a feeling it would feel natural to me.” CH
“The seclusion that individuals have been subjected to due to the imposed lockdown has had a great impact on me. I felt a strong desire to connect with people and reach out to those in need of support.” KI
How do you find being a befriender companion?
“I find it very fulfilling. There is a profound intimacy when two people come together and are given an hour with no distractions to share their lives with the other.” CH
“I have built up a relationship of trust and empathy with a lovely lady. I enjoy spending time exchanging ideas, experiences, anxieties and plans. We both look forward to the call at our regular time every week.” KI
How do you feel you have benefitted from doing this seva?
“In many ways! I am filled with gratitude after each session and am amazed at how deep the connection and sharing is between us. It feels like a spiritual practice: getting present, opening the heart, supporting, witnessing and caring for someone.” CH
“During this time of change and uncertainty it has been a pleasure to be a part of such a worthwhile project. It is wonderful to be a part of such a dedicated team that helps people stay connected whilst enabling personal empowerment.” KI
As you can see from the wonderful feedback, befriending is not just beneficial to the befriendee, but also to the volunteer befriender. Being able to support another person is rewarding and helps us in our personal growth too.
Since launching in May 2020 the MACCS Befriending Companions, the service has matched 8 befriendees with befrienders. The matching of befrienders to befriendees is a careful process where consideration takes into account, interests, days & times of availability, experience and language, are blended together with instinctual guidance. Careful Matching is vitally important to us to ensure that both befrienders and befriendees are happy.
Would you like to do your seva in this way? Would you like to volunteer an hour a week for 4 months — a year to talk to someone that is lonely or isolated?
You will receive comprehensive training, DBS check and full, longstanding support from everyone in the team including your Matching & Befriender Coordinator, Training team and your Support Supervision Volunteer.
Please get in touch with Vargini if this is something that would interest you.
Email: support@macentre.org.uk
In Amma’s love and service
Faye Bradbury
Matching & Befriending Coordinator
MACCS Befriending Companions
