Abstract

Contemporary reality brings many adverse social phenomena, both for individuals and entire groups. The assistance provided by professional support systems are insufficient as in Poland as in the world. The important role of professionally organized volunteering in solving social problems is emphasized in the context of implementing tasks in the field of social services. Noteworthy proposal successfully implemented in United Kingdom are mentoring and befriending programs functioning there as a standard of assistance to people at risk of social exclusion. This form of volunteering is still little known in Poland and mentoring programs are not popular. It is difficult to find works in Polish on studies related to volunteering in the form of befriending and mentoring. Therefore, the article is to fill the gap in this regard. The article presents the assumptions, organization, forms of this type off support as well as its benefits and limitations basing mainly on the example of the solutions used in United Kingdom. Considering the growing demand in Poland for measures preventing social exclusion or supporting the process of (re)integration, the British examples as well as the existing conceptualisations and practices related to mentoring and befriending may be used as inspiration.