If you become a Community Befriender you will help support older people (50+) living in the CH8 area of Holywell. These are older people who are often experiencing feelings of social isolation and loneliness.
You will provide companionship, support confidence building and encourage their involvement in the local community.
Your role would include one-to-one befriending, delivered in the person’s home or via the telephone. Also community buddying, providing support to engage in community activities through guidance around venue locations, transport options and initial accompaniment to activities where required. Finally you’ll help establish volunteer-led group activities in community settings, identified through individual needs, interests, and gaps in existing services.
- Engagement with one or more residents one-to-one and/or in group settings
- Travel within Holywell CH8 area
- Use of IT for community information searches and for communication with your Engagement Manager
- Reporting back to your Engagement Manager in writing and verbally, as required
- Good listening and communication skills, with an understanding of confidentiality
- Empathy and compassion
- Reliability
- Awareness of and adherence to Volunteering Matters values
- Facilitation skills if opting for group activity facilitator
As a volunteer, you will receive:
- Travel expenses for journeys undertaken in the course of volunteering activities
- Training at induction and ongoing supervision and support from your Engagement Manager
- Insurance-related to the volunteering activities undertaken
- Role satisfaction, personal development skills and experience
