Befriender Administrator Volunteer Roles

MHA is the largest charity care provider for older people in the UK. Our mission is to inspire the best care and wellbeing at every stage of later life.

 As a Volunteer Telephone Befriender, you’ll help improve the quality of life for older people who are socially isolated and may feel lonely. You’ll call once a week to have a chat for about half an hour to help the person feel less isolated. You’ll also encourage them to access services and facilities within their community.

 Main tasks and responsibilities: 

• You’ll spend time talking on the phone.
• You’ll establish and build a friendly and open relationship whilst maintaining appropriate boundaries.
• You’ll ensure that the member’s needs are put first within all communication, whilst respecting the members’ privacy and independence.
• You’ll maintain confidentiality, except in reporting back to the person that supports you, or in circumstances that will be discussed in your training.
• You’ll undertake all training, or support meetings, as agreed with the person who supports you.
• You’ll complete basic reporting and administrative tasks associated with the role. (e.g. Record of Calls).
• To be familiar with and to adhere MHA’s Health and Safety Policies and policies relating to your volunteering role.

Benefits for you:

• Help improve the quality of life for older people
• Help reduce loneliness and isolation
• Support your community
• Keep socially active

Skills and qualities needed:

• Good communication and people skills
• Enthusiasm
• Patience, empathy and understanding of the needs of older people
• Reliable and punctual
• Clear sense of personal boundaries and ability to maintain confidentiality
• A willingness to engage with training and development

Training, support, and requirements:

• You need to be aged 18 or over
• A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and two character references are required
• We will provide you with a full induction for the role.Training on safeguarding, health and safety and other training relevant to the role
• Ongoing support from a named contact

Times and Commitment:

• 30 minute call per week. Days and times can be flexible.
• We ask you to be able to commit on a regular basis for a minimum of six months

*Please note- we can only accept applications from volunteers who currently live in the UK*

Age restrictions: 18+

Why we need your help

Marie Curie recognises that the best way to understand its services is by seeing it through the 
eyes of the people we support. Feedback from people we care for is critical in telling us what 
we are doing well and where we can improve.

Through this exciting volunteer role, you will help us understand our services’ quality by 
listening to the people we support. You will help us by contacting people while they are 
receiving our services to make sure we are providing our patients and families with excellent 
care, and if there are issues, to help us nip things in the bud.

This role has the scope for broader conversations with people about their experiences at the 
end of life. Gaining insight and understanding allows us to ensure we’re there for all people 
experiencing dying, death and bereavement.

What we need you to do

Your role will include some of, but is not restricted to, the following tasks:
• Speak with patients and families over the phone to complete surveys 
about their experiences of our care and support.
• Record data accurately, capturing as much as possible in the person’s 
own words.
• Input feedback data into online an online database. 
• If comfortable, undertake analysis of data to help us report on themes 
and trends; what we are doing well and what we can improve.
• Communicate with patients and families how we use their feedback and ideas to improve 
services, where appropriate.
• Work with the Clinical Nurse Managers to highlight any issues and concerns about the care 
provided in their services.
• Relay positive feedback to Marie Curie Nursing staff and volunteers. 
• If comfortable, conduct semi-structured interviews to understand peoples’ lived 
experiences of dying, death, and bereavement.

What skills or experience do you need?

• Good communication, listening and people skills.
• The ability to deal with people in a warm, friendly, and sensitive manner.
• Understanding the importance of confidentiality.
• Empathy and an understanding of the needs of people experiencing end of life care issues.

What we can offer you

• An excellent opportunity to build on your skills in a charity environment
• An induction, training, support and supervision in your role
• Agreed reasonable out-of-pocket expenses

What we ask of you
• To provide two references from non-family members and other relevant documents related 
to the role
• To keep to all the charity’s policies and guidelines 
• To complete an induction and any training related to the role

Note - weekend/evening volunteering is not available for this role, we are looking for volunteers who are able to give some time between Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. 

About Us

Every day of your life matters – from the first to the last. When you volunteer for Marie Curie, you understand that better than ever. We’re a passionate, committed and diverse team of more than 4,400 staff and  6,500 volunteers, here for people living with any terminal illness, and their families. We offer expert care, guidance and support, to help them get the most from the time they have left. 

Marie Curie is committed to its values, which underpin our work.  We take stringent steps to ensure that the people who join our organisation through employment or volunteering, are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. This includes our staff, volunteers and all those who use or come into contact with our services. We are dedicated to creating not just a safe place to work but also a supportive and rewarding one.

Marie Curie is committed to a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. We are devoted to the social justice imperatives and organisational benefits of full diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace, and are a Stonewall champion. We actively encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early.

At Watford & Three Rivers Refugee Partnership, our objective is to provide practical and emotional support, ultimately helping our clients achieve a sustainable position as full members of our society. Many of our clients are destitute, homeless and have no access to assistance from the government. Our mission is to provide access to advice and essential services until statutory services are in place.

Volunteering at the Drop-In centre provides an opportunity for you to help our refugee clients with any issues they might have. We have sessions running every Tuesday between 11am and 1pm at St Mary’s Church, High Street, Watford. The Drop-In provides an opportunity for refugee clients to come and discuss any issues they have and to be listened to by one of our volunteers. Many of our clients are likely to have lived here for a while but an issue or crisis in their lives means that they need to discuss it and seek some help. They may also be in the process of seeking asylum. We can provide advice and sometimes resolve their issue there and then and at other times we refer them to another agency or invite them to come back once their issue has been looked into.

The Drop-In Centre could not function without our team of committed volunteers, and we are always looking for additional help.

Full training given on starting the role as well as regular training sessions and continual support from more experienced volunteers.

Responsibilities:

· Help with filling in forms and interpreting official documents.

· Liaising with statutory and voluntary agencies.

· Referring clients for follow up action by our Case Review Team and linking them with a befriender.

· Referring clients to our partner solicitor who specialises in immigration law and comes to the Drop-In 4th Tuesday of the month.

· Advice on how to access appropriate housing and free food in the area.

· Access to the charity’s other services, such as free English classes.

Requirements:

· Able to attend at least one Tuesday Drop-In a month.

· Complete training as required and attend bi-monthly volunteer support meetings.

Skills:

· An ability to communicate and empathise with people from a variety of backgrounds and needs.

· Basic IT skills.

· Assist clients in accessing essential services such as legal, housing, financial and food.

· Can work well as part of a team.

· Enthusiasm to help refugee clients.

Desirable experience: 

· Previous volunteering experience.

· Previous experience working in a people-facing role.

If you are interested in becoming a Drop-In volunteer please apply via Charity Jobs or contact us and a volunteer coordinator will contact you to discuss this further.

Volunteer - Homeline’s tele-befriending service!

Do you have an hour to spare each week? Want a simple remote volunteer role you can fit around your busy life?

Look no further! Homeline is a befriending project for older people in Hammersmith and Fulham.

We are looking for volunteers to remotely call a few isolated older adults per week. These calls make such a difference and are often the only phone call a person will receive all week!

A flexible role ideal for volunteers who work during the week and have less time to commit. Join our friendly team and enjoy the benefits of full role training, DBS and continued support.

Get in touch, join our friendly team and enjoy the benefits of full role training, DBS and continued support.