Your role as the Telephone Befriender is to engage in conversation with a client over the phone, building a rapport and engaging with them on a weekly basis (note: some befriending matches require more than one call per week). Most of the referrals come from our partners and other agencies but some are self-referrals. All referrals are due to the client being lonely and feeling isolated. It should be noted, that does not necessarily mean they are an older person living on their own. Some referrals are for younger adults who may live in a ‘busy’ household. As a Befriender your co-ordinator will match you to a suitable client. This will be done after finding out more about both yourself and the client to see if there are similarities in personality, hobbies etc. It will not be done purely on age – often the perfect match is with different generations. Your role will be to chat to the client, using your own phone from your own home. You will be required to actively engage and encourage conversation – sometimes this needs to be led by you, the volunteer, as there could be barriers with the clients such as: confidence, disability, speech issues etc. The Telephone Befriender will not be expected to offer advice or to ‘counsel’ the client – you are simply someone to have a chat to and be a listening ear – something for the client to look forward to each week. Befrienders should give minimal personal details about themselves and should never ‘off-load’ their own issues to a client. Your coordinator will always be there to deal with any concerns you have about any of your matches. VASA induction training will be given and guidelines issued around safety protocols for volunteers and clients. Workshops will be available from time to time to cover areas of interest around Befriending. A PVG check will be carried out prior to commencement as a befriender. It should be noted that this role does not include any face-to-face befriending and no volunteer should arrange to meet with a client. Post COVID, if a one-to-one, face-to-face service was developed, appropriate training would be given then if deemed applicable. DUTIES: The role of the Telephone Befriender will be as follows: • To offer friendship and encouragement, via a telephone call, to a client who is isolated and lonely. • To provide a listening ear. • To facilitate conversation and engage with clients. • To build up a relationship with the befriendee, giving them something to look forward to on a weekly basis. • To commit to a minimum of 20min per week to the service.

“Would you like to reap the benefits of carrying out the role of a Volunteer Telephone Befriender? We are looking for people who can regularly telephone a vulnerable person, experiencing loneliness and social isolation, living within the Angus community. Telephone Befriender Volunteers are required to ring a person to check on them and overtime build a friendship. We are looking for people: • Aged 18 and over • Live in Angus • Good listening skills • Patience, Empathy and Understanding • Ability to keep records of calls made • Flexible, reliable and punctual • Clear sense of personal boundaries and confidentiality • Able to provide non-judgemental support • Engage with training and development Your important impact: One 30 minute call to a person, who is feeling lonely and isolated, seems really simple, but having someone to talk to and someone to listen, could really make such a positive difference to a person. It may be that you are the only person they speak to, that day, or even that week. By enrolling to become a Volunteer Telephone Befriender, you are playing a vital role in reducing social isolation and loneliness, within the Angus community. If you are interested in becoming a telephone befriender, please get in touch.

We are looking for Telephone Befrienders to help out at the HOPE Project Office in Stevenston. This role requires the following: • Someone who likes a good chat and is able to encourage and stimulate an older person to express themselves and feel comfortable engaging in conversation • Inspiring enough confidence further down the line to allow for attendance at a social activity If you like the idea of working alongside older individuals and would enjoy this telephone service then this is the right opportunity for you.

A Listening Ear provides a befriending service to people who are isolated and vulnerable, offering friendship, signposting, information, and referral to other appropriate agencies. A Listening Ear is an open access service serving the communities of Dumfries and Galloway. Description of the role: Befriending is delivered by volunteers primarily over the phone. Virtual befriending via Zoom, Skype or WhatsApp is planned in the near future as is providing face-to-face support in 2023. Volunteers will call people in their own homes at a time that is mutually agreed between you and your phone friend. (A handset is provided). Boundaries must be maintained at all times by volunteers, i.e., confidentiality and GDPR training will be provided. Volunteers will be required to listen, chat and, if required, identify any appropriate support the person would benefit from, signposting as necessary. Volunteers must inform the Volunteer Coordinator of any concerns in relation to their phone friends in the first instance or request information on appropriate signposting services. Volunteers are required to take part in induction and ongoing training and identify personal development and learning opportunities. Volunteers should be available for agreed support and supervision sessions with the Volunteer Coordinator which may take place in person, over Zoom or over the phone at a mutually agreed time and frequency of no less than every 8 weeks. Personal Qualities: • A good knowledge of your local community, organisations operating within it and community spaces. • Non-judgemental. • Respectful and caring nature. • A good listener. • Reliable. • Good communication skills. • Able to maintain confidentiality. • Make and stick to the agreed time commitment.