Telephone Befriending

Volunteer role: Telephone Befriending Volunteer

Key contact: Kate O’Neill - Service Co-ordinator

Location: From home

Time Commitment: Minimum of half an hour per week

DBS check level: Enhanced level check

Age: over 18 due insurance requirements

Role purpose

To offer support to those who find themselves isolated and lonely in later life, by offering time, friendship, and support over the telephone.

Skills/Abilities and experience beneficial to the role

A real desire to make a difference to people’s lives but you may also have:

• An ability to work with older individuals together with a friendly and enthusiastic and friendly approach

• An understanding of the need for company and conversation to reduce social isolation for older individuals

• An ability to recognise issues concerning the Service User’s health, wellbeing and quality of life and feedback to Age UK

• Be reliable and committed to older individuals and the charity, with an ability to empathise and engage with individuals from all walks of life, regardless of cultural or social background.

Tasks/responsibilities

The below list is an example of the tasks required in the role of a telephone befriending volunteer:

• Making a weekly (or fortnightly) phone call to your telephone friend for a friendly chat and companionship

• Engaging openly and considerately with your telephone friend, sharing conversations, encouraging reminiscing, and checking in on their general wellbeing

• Reporting any wellbeing or safe-guarding concerns to the service co-ordinator

Training required

Age UK induction training is mandatory, and you cannot start your role until you have completed this training. Training for telephone befriending will take place via video call and comprises of a one-hour induction session. There may be additional service specific training required. All volunteers are encouraged to attend volunteer meetings to share experiences and receive training and support from Age UK Cambridgeshire & Peterborough