Friendly Visiting is a program that responds to special circumstances that may arise in the lives of clients at AIDS Niagara. For some clients the sense of loneliness and isolation that may accompany living with HIV/AIDS can be extreme.

Friendly Visiting attempts to pair up a client with a compatible and supportive volunteer "buddy". The support and friendship offered by the buddy can be very helpful to the client in alleviating their sense of isolation. The client and volunteer mutually determine what they would like to do.

Examples of activities include:

• a phone call
• going for a walk
• going out for coffee
• going bowling
• seeing a movie
• a ride in the country

Clients are expected to cover their own costs for outings.

Friendly visiting may also take the form of accompanying or giving clients rides to medical appointments. Spending time with someone on a day involving the medical system is definitely a warm improvement over riding alone in a series of taxis or buses.

We also have social gatherings for clients and volunteers to mingle, sing, play cards, have a BBQ, and get to know each other.

All volunteers participating in the friendly visiting program undergo program specific training and obtain a Police Clearance Certificate.

Friend visiting volunteers must agree to protect client confidentiality and accept in principle the current Mission Statement and Vision of AIDS Niagara.