Telephone Befrienders
Just 30 minutes of your time a week could make a big difference to someone’s life. We’re looking for kind and chatty people to volunteer as Telephone Befrienders, providing companionship and regular conversation to isolated people in Poplar and Bow.
For some people being alone can be a luxury break in a busy life, but for many being alone all day, every day, is a fact of life. There are lots of people in Poplar and Bow who regularly experience loneliness and many who live in isolation, and the impact on their mental and physical health can be far reaching and catastrophic.
Companionship and having the opportunity to regularly talk to someone friendly can make all the difference to someone who feels isolated, forgotten about and alone.
Our Telephone Befriender volunteers will make a telephone call to their befriendee for around half an hour, each week. As part of the service, befriendees (those receiving calls) can choose to have a face-to-face meeting once a month with their befriender. When you apply please state whether you are applying for telephone befriending only or a mixture of telephone and in-person.
Each volunteer will be matched with one befriendee.
Description of tasks
- Make calls at the time and day agreed by you, your telephone friend and Poplar HARCA
- To help encourage and enable your telephone friend to become more confident through your friendship and support.
- Engage in fun and lively conversation over the phone.
- Encourage your telephone friend to attend activities offered by their local community centre
- Develop and maintain appropriate boundaries and confidentiality with other volunteers, colleagues and callers.
- To actively take part in the monthly peer support sessions.
- To keep in contact with your supervisor to let us know when you have made a call, can’t make a call or have any problems or safeguarding concerns.
- Adhere to all Poplar HARCA policies and procedures.