Participants
Welcome to the Compeer Program
Compeer of Johnson County welcomes you to our program. We hope you will benefit from developing a structured friendship with a Compeer volunteer. We hope that it will be an opportunity for you to connect with someone in a meaningful way, and thus reduce the isolation and loneliness that often accompanies mental illness. We hope the program will help you become more a part of the community at large and you will be reassured, if necessary, that you belong here.
About Compeer Volunteers
Compeer volunteers are not paid. They commit to spending a minimum of 4 hours per month with their matched friend and for staying with the program for at least one year. They volunteer because they care. Compeer conducts background checks and requires references from our volunteers when they apply. Furthermore, volunteers receive a training/orientation about our Compeer mission, program and ways to be helpful to the person they are matched with. Just as our Compeer program participants have rights and responsibilities, so do the volunteer. The Compeer Director will review the Rights and Responsibilities with you on the day you are introduced to your match. Please see a list of your Rights and Responsibilities by clicking on the tab to the right of this page.
Program Participation
Both you and your match are able to quit the Compeer program, simply by notifying the Compeer Director and your therapist. It is best to contact the director as soon as possible if any issues start to arise. It may be that the director can help you resolve any misunderstandings or other problems. The Director will never force you to remain in the program against your will. The volunteer also has the option of discontinuing a match at any time. It will be important for you to treat the volunteer and Compeer staff with respect.
From time to time Compeer will provide events, activities, and educational programs that you and your match will both be invited to attend. We encourage you to participate in the events you think you might enjoy. However, you are not required to attend any of the group programs. They are supplementary and can be an opportunity for fun and growth. However, they are also optional.
Questions
Thank you so much. We look forward to working with you and hope this program will enrich all of our lives! Compeer Board members, staff, and volunteers agree that they learn and grow from knowing you. You certainly will have opportunities to enrich the lives of everyone actively involved in the Compeer program. Please feel free to contact the Compeer Director with any questions you might have. The director position is half-time, so it may be necessary for you to leave a message.