Compeer Greater Buffalo
Compeer uses the power of volunteer friends and mentors to improve the lives of children, adults and seniors who are striving for good mental health.
Description:
Founded in 1985, Compeer of Greater Buffalo is inspired by the belief that “friendship is powerful medicine”. Serving Buffalo and all of Erie County, Compeer matches volunteers in one-to-one friendship and mentoring relationships with children, adults, and elders who are striving for optimal mental health and a high quality of life.
Compeer friends and mentors come from every walk of life. Volunteers make a significant impact upon the lives of those they serve by providing rehabilitative social support through friendship, by being positive role models, and by providing opportunities for educational and recreational activities. These volunteers commit to weekly meetings with their friends of at least an hour for a minimum of one year with two-thirds of all of our volunteers maintaining their relationships for at least two years. As an adjunct to therapy, Compeer volunteers provide rehabilitative social support through friendship and advocacy. The program is extremely beneficial for its participants, as is evidenced by therapists' evaluations and increasing numbers of referrals. We are proud to serve over 550 people annually. Our greatest challenge is to meet the needs of the over 500 children and adults awaiting a friend.
Demand and innovation have lead to our program expansion, which includes Compeer for Kids, Intensive Mentoring, and Second Step Skill Building as well as The Adult Program, and Elder Services. Volunteer opportunities include: mentoring, one-to-one peer friendships, lunch buddies, Compeer calling, and Partners in Empowerment
History:
Under the auspices of Compeer Inc. based in Rochester, New York, Compeer Buffalo was established in January 1985 in Erie County. Due to the success of the program Compeer Greater Buffalo outgrew the off-site administrative structure and incorporated as a private non-profit agency on July 1, 1994. Currently there are 14 paid employees and three hundred and fifty active community mentors and volunteers. In an era of health care cost containment, decreased funding for mental health care and prevention, and skyrocketing health care costs Compeer addresses the problem by providing cost-effective utilization of volunteers. Compeer of Greater Buffalo provided 30,000 volunteer hours at a value of $20.00 per hour resulting in $600,000 back to the community.
As the original component of Compeer, the Adult Program serves consumers living with mental health disorders. Volunteers are critical in helping people to maintain their independent living skills by providing one to one support, through friendship.
Emotionally supportive relationships foster positive peer interactions, identified as contributing to optimal mental health and greater quality of life for those living with serious and persistent mental illness (Marley, 1998). Compeer’s Adult Program serves 150 people annually age 18 to 59.
Included in Compeer’s Adult Services, special volunteers are matched with elders living in our community. Compeer recognizes the unique needs of elder consumers and provides volunteers who demonstrate that friendly encouragement and caring support can truly enrich a lonely life. Recognizing this, the Erie County Department of Mental Health, in 1994, selected Compeer Greater Buffalo. to provide Friendly Visitors to seniors. The elderly experience fewer social interactions than younger persons due to the physical and personal loses associated with aging that can lead to and exacerbate emotional insecurity and mental health problems such as depression. Social deprivation worsens as a person becomes older since families often live far away and friends die or are not readily available. Subsequently, elders may find themselves more socially isolated and, importantly, lacking a means by which to monitor well-being. Trained, caring, community volunteers offer friendship, and companionship. Compeer’s program for elders serves people aged 60 plus. Program serves 75 people a year.
Compeer initiated Compeer for Kids in 1987. Children & youth are referred to Compeer who are in need of caring mentoring/friendship relationships. Volunteers matched with these children commit to weekly meetings with their friends of at least an hour for a minimum of one year and offer essential emotional support, positive role models. Literature shows that the presence of a charismatic adult in a child’s life, a person with whom they identify and from whom they gather strength, is a vital key to foster resiliency in such children-at-risk. Such is the role of the volunteer, and the reason for the program.
Compeer receives referrals from various agencies and mental health professionals who service children and youth. In addition to private practitioners and counselors at various school systems, referral sources include WNY Children’s Psychiatric Center, Child and Family Services, Child and Adolescent Treatment Services, Children’s Hospital, Baker Victory Services, Mid-Erie Mental Health, and Gateway. Children and youth now make up half of the Compeer matches. Currently was have 230 young people matched with mentors.
Contact people:
Office fax number: (716) 883-3395
Address:
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135 Delaware Avenue Suite 210Buffalo, NY 14202(See a map) |
Web Site: http://www.compeerbuffalo.org
Directions:
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The Compeer office is at 135 Delaware Avenue, located in downtown Buffalo between Mohawk Street and Huron Street. The office suite is on the second floor, # 210. |
| Last updated on September 16, 2009 |
