As part of the RAF Association, our Connections Volunteers offer the vital connection and support our beneficiaries need. In this role, you will make a real difference by helping support a lonely individual via regular telephone calls. Our Connections for Life service entails friendship telephone calls from volunteers to beneficiaries within the RAF community who maybe experiencing loneliness, adapting to life after service or just looking for a general chat. We will provide you with all the necessary training so you can rest assured that you will have all the skills you need. As a Connections Volunteer, you will have the support of a dedicated coordinator as your point of contact. A RAF or forces background is not essential, and we welcome applications from all areas of the community. A fantastic opportunity to help and make a real difference. All help is greatly appreciated. For further details please contact Craig Anderson, RAF Association Connections Administrator at email: volunteers@rafa.org.uk or telephone: 0800 018 2361.

Our Connections for Life service entails friendship telephone calls from volunteers to beneficiaries within the RAF community who maybe experiencing loneliness, adapting to life after service or just looking for a general chat. We will provide you with all the necessary training so you can rest assured that you will have all the skills you need. As a Connections Volunteer, you will have the support of a dedicated coordinator as your point of contact. A RAF or forces background is not essential, and we welcome applications from all areas of the community. What's in it for you The opportunity to help members of the RAF community to feel less isolated and lonely and the sense of achievement having done this. It can help enhance your communication and listening skills, be very rewarding and you will gain a new meaningful relationship. Our training course is also accredited and you will receive a certificate of achievement.

Loneliness affects tens of thousands of people across the RAF community. Whether it’s a veteran struggling to adapt to life after service, or a family member facing difficulties alone, loneliness can be devastating to people’s mental and physical health. The Connections For Life service offers friendship telephone calls to anyone in the RAF community who needs it, and matches caring, friendly volunteers, with those beneficiaries who are experiencing isolation. The RAF community is made up of both veterans and serving personnel, and their respective spouses, partners, widows or widowers. As a volunteer, you can offer a listening ear, help someone regain their confidence, share discussions around their interests and help them reconnect with the wider world. The Connections Volunteer role would involve contacting a beneficiary over the phone on a regular basis. A friendly, 30-minute chat that a volunteer can offer will make all the difference, providing a vital link for someone who is lonely and isolated. What will volunteers be doing? * Providing regular social interaction and support to members of the RAF community via telephone contact * Checking on a beneficiary’s welfare and alerting them to available support if needed * Relaying any concerns to their Connections Coordinator * Regularly submitting an activity log summarising their interactions so we can make sure everyone is receiving the help they need

Our Connections for Life service entails friendship telephone calls from volunteers to beneficiaries within the RAF community who maybe experiencing loneliness, adapting to life after service or just looking for a general chat. We will provide you with all the necessary training so you can rest assured that you will have all the skills you need. As a Connections Volunteer, you will have the support of a dedicated coordinator as your point of contact. A RAF or forces background is not essential, and we welcome applications from all areas of the community. Requirements A short completed application form Proof of ID References Informal interview On-line training course