A charity supporting the mental health of adults is introducing community befrienders at a café on World Mental Health Day on Thursday.

Jami, part of Jewish Care, is launching the new service at its Head Room café in Golders Green to offer befriending support to anyone in the community who would like a one-to-one chat with someone. The first 100 customers on Thursday will also receive a free hot drink.

The 12 new volunteer befrienders have been trained and inducted into the life in the café, and will be available to anyone in the community to chat to and enjoy some friendly company from Monday to Thursday from 2–4pm, and Wednesday to Friday from 10am–12pm. They will have a sign on their table welcoming people to join them.

The café already runs a free daily community programme, providing support and connection through a range of groups and activities. But some people found the group events too big and overwhelming and prefer one-to-one interactions.

Gideon Levy, one of Head Room’s community development facilitators, said: “Some people were saying that they struggled to get to the group so we thought, ‘let's create a one-to-one.’ They've always been able to speak one-to-one to people who work at the cafe, but this became a more official thing.

"We've got really friendly befrienders who are happy to just chat or play games or have a coffee with someone, so they can come when they feel ready. If you're struggling to leave the house, it's quite a big thing to come in.”

Gideon Levy said that creating these social connections and introductions to the café, so that people know it's a safe space, is a good way to reduce loneliness and isolation.

It is also an opportunity for the community befrienders to learn more about people’s needs so that they can do referrals or signpost them to other support that Jami could offer.

Caryn Cobersy, one of the new volunteer befrienders, said: “I am here for anyone visiting Head Room to have a one-to-one chat, provide support and hopefully make someone smile and feel a bit better, especially if they are feeling lonely or isolated. I’m happy to play board games or just listen.”

The introduction of community befrienders is one of the ways Jami will be supporting the community. It also delivers an internationally accredited mental health first aid training to other charities and organisations, including, most recently, the United Synagogue and West London Synagogue.

Since the theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is prioritising mental health in the workplace, Jami’s mental health first aid training course aims to help raise employees’ understanding, knowledge and confidence in supporting colleagues.

Philippa Carr, Jami’s senior mental health education and suicide prevention manager, said: “We are much more aware of the impact of mental health at work. Part of the duty of care of employers to their employees is to step up to be supportive and to ensure that employees’ mental health is looked after at work.”

Jami has also been working with Barnet Council Public Health on the publication of a new guide, Coping After Suicide: A Guide for Organisations, to support Barnet’s voluntary, faith and enterprise communities after news of a suspected suicide, as well as a webinar providing a step-by-step guide on how to respond effectively and compassionately.

Carr said: “When we talk about suicide prevention, we often forget that although difficult, we also need to think about ‘postvention’ because by acknowledging the tragedy of a suspected suicide and being prepared to respond effectively, we are also safeguarding others who may be at risk and need support.”