Volunteers Sought to Befriend Mentally Ill

A Ventura-based nonprofit organization is looking for volunteers who want to befriend people who suffer from neurobiological disorders.

BreakThrough NBD board members want to expand their companion program in which volunteers befriend people in the community who suffer from disorders including schizophrenia, major depression and panic disorders, said Joyce Silver, the organization’s founder and volunteer coordinator.

The group is affiliated with Compeer Inc., an international organization, and has matched several county volunteers with people who suffer from these diseases, she said.

After five hours of training, volunteers meet with their new friend for at least one hour a week for social or recreational activities, Silver said.

“It’s very rewarding for the participant,” she said. “Some relationships in the international organization have gone on for 15 to 20 years.”

Silver said those who suffer from the disorders benefit the most from the program.

“They gain confidence because of the encouragement that their life is more worthwhile,” Silver said. “The people that never smiled suddenly start to smile.”

The program is cost-effective for the community because it can help eliminate relapses, which might require admitting the patient into a county hospital, she said.

“When the illness sets in, they isolate themselves,” Silver said. “People who have a friend are in a better place and are more stable.”

More volunteers are necessary to continue helping people, said Sonna Gray, a volunteer and member of the organization’s board of trustees.

Anyone interested in volunteering for BreakThrough NBD may attend recruiting meetings at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 3892 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, or call the organization’s office at 653-7948.