Re-engage (Shetland)

Charity registered in Scotland SC039377

Re-engage is a charity that is positive about older age and committed to fighting lonliness so that people can have social lives and friendship groups however old they are. We inspire and enable meaningful connections and shared experiences within communities across the UK for people over 75 facing lonliness and social inclusion.

Our volunteers work together to create better communities and help to enrich the lives of our members by giving them something to look forward to.
Older people who may have felt very alone, now feel values as individuals, continue to form friendships, and have groups that give support. We make sure that people know they are important well into old age.


Current opportunities

As a call companion, you will make regular telephone calls to an older person experiencing loneliness and isolation. These calls provide a lifeline of friendship for our older people, and the regular, warm, friendly chats and companionship provide a vital link with the outside world from which they have become isolated. Over time, you and the older person you have been matched with will get to know each other well and together you will spend many hours full of fun, laughter and stories. You will need one reference and to complete an ID check for this role. Tasks include: • Calling the older person you have been matched with two to four times per month at an agreed time. • Following the guidance in your call companion training modules to ensure that your calls are enjoyable, appropriate and in line with our charitable aims. • Keeping in regular contact with Re-engage. This is a flexible, homebased voluntary role that can easily be fitted in around your own lifestyle and availability. Call companions call the older person they are matched with between two and four times per month, and each call lasts around 30 minutes. During your first call with the older person, you will decide together how often the calls will take place and at what time. This is a long-term voluntary role, so we are ideally looking for individuals who are able to commit to volunteering with us for at least 12 months.

Impact volunteers help us to evaluate our work so that we can understand the impact of our services. This can involve interviewing older people or asking them to complete questionnaires. The role asks you to give around two hours each week (or eight to 10 hours per month). You will spend most of your time surveying older people on the phone and gathering their responses, and there may be interviewing opportunities for those volunteers who would like to do so. This is a flexible and remote voluntary role that can be carried out from home. You will need one reference and to complete an ID check for this role. Tasks could include: • Conducting evaluation surveys with older people over the phone. • Collecting evaluation responses on an online form during calls and submitting to Re-engage. • Compiling and inputting data from written surveys into spreadsheets or systems. • Conducting evaluation interviews with older people over the phone (this requires prior experience and / or qualifications). • Following all guidance in your impact volunteer training modules to ensure that you handle all personal data securely, are aware of our safeguarding framework, and that the activities are completed in line with our charitable aims.

Isolation and loneliness are on the rise especially with older people in the LGBT+ community. We are looking for kind and empathetic LGBT+identifying people to help befriend an older person. Could you help by just having a telephone conversation with someone, once a week? You are matched with an older person to have about an hour-long chat with someone once weekly or once fortnighly depending on availability. This role is perfect for fitting around your schedule and lifestyle. We know a good chat can mean the world and can help the most isolated in the LGBT+ community, especially for those who may have had to hide their whole life. All training and onboarding is remote and you are supported by our team in your role.