Volunteer Telephone Befriender Volunteer Roles in Birmingham
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Chatterbox Befrienders offer one-to-one telephone support and will call a client once a week offering companionship and a listening ear for an individual who might otherwise go unheard. Chatterbox volunteers befriend a variety of people including carers, socially isolated individuals who are struggling with loneliness, people with ill health and those that have been bereaved.
This role could be for you, if you:
- Would like to make a real difference in someone’s life
- Want to challenge loneliness and can commit to a weekly phone call
- Are a good listener
- Are empathetic, patient and of a caring nature
- Have good verbal and inter-personal communication skills
- Recognise the importance of confidentiality and can uphold this in practice
- Are committed to inclusion and treating people with dignity and respect
Requirements of a Befriender include:
- Calling your client once a week for a chat of up to 45 minutes; this is a 26 week initial commitment, at the end of which each client’s needs are reviewed
- Completing an online call log record promptly after each phone call
- Ensuring immediate contact with the Chatterbox Coordinators if you feel that the client might be a risk to themselves or others
- Liaising with the Chatterbox Coordinator on a regular basis regarding the service, as well as discussing personal learning and development needs
- Respecting service standards, appropriate boundaries and recognising the range of policies and procedures that impact on befriending vulnerable adults
Benefits of this role may include:
- Knowing you are making a difference to someone’s life
- Joining the Omega Team who are taking action against loneliness and isolation
- An opportunity to enhance your CV or learn new skills
- An opportunity to engage with your community
Support and training provided:
- Omega Chatterbox induction program
- Safeguarding training
- Ongoing support from Chatterbox Coordinators for all questions, concerns, and support
- Out of pocket expenses are reimbursed and a mobile phone can be provided if appropriate
- Monthly Befriender group support meetings via the Zoom app
Location of the role:
- Home-based
When are you needed:
- Provided on enquiry
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required for this role. If you have a criminal record this does not automatically prevent you from being considered as an Omega Chatterbox Befriender. We will take into account the nature of the offence, when it happened and whether it is relevant to the voluntary role. If you are shortlisted, this will be discussed with you during the recruitment process.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
Omega is a registered charity dedicated to reducing social isolation and loneliness.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Main purpose of the role
To provide telephone friendship service to veterans (and their partners) in their own homes.
Key focus
- To provide telephone friendship and companionship which is appropriate, and person centred. You will need the use of your own telephone /mobile.
- The use of a quiet safe space so you can concentrate on the call and maintain confidentiality.
- Provide telephone support to alleviate loneliness and social isolation and help to build confidence.
- Report any concerns or problems to the volunteer coordinator immediately.
- To record information about the call on the telephone log and submit this monthly.
- Read and understand the information provided as part of the induction training.
- Understand and work to the Telephone Friendship Service guidelines, boundaries and expectations.
- Adhere to Royal Star & Garter confidentiality policy.
- To take care of own Health & Safety and that of others affected by your volunteering activities.
- Promote the reputation, culture and ethos of the charity as a quality provider of excellent care and customer service.
Time commitment
Minimum of 1 hour per week. There is no time limit on the length of service, but Telephone Friends are asked to make a commitment for a minimum of 12 months.
Our Values
We are a values-based organisation and strive to demonstrate our values in all we do:
With love: We carry out our work with love, care and compassion
Living positively: We are optimistic in everything we do, supporting veterans and their partners leading happy, fulfilled lives
As a family: We work and live as one team, one family, one community
Standing in their shoes: We show admiration and respect for people and never forget what they have done
Take courage: We are not afraid to what is right and what is needed
What we are looking for from volunteers
Essential skills and attributes
It is essential that you are a naturally caring character that always puts people first, shows kindness, warmth, compassion and respect at all times, and loves to embrace life to make it meaningful for yourself and those you support. Others include:
- You enjoy working as part of a team
- You understand how to operate within a confidential environment
- You are aware of the needs of older people
We are also looking for people who are willing to undertake induction and training and who will work within our guidelines and policies. The role is dependent on a DBS check.
Behaviours & characteristics
- Good listening and communication skills
- Naturally patient and able to demonstrate sensitivity
- Reliability and at the same time flexible to changing needs
Don’t worry if you are new to a role like this. We will support and train you and encourage you on your telephone friendship journey.
Pathway to becoming a volunteer
- Application Form
- Informal meeting
- References
- Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Check
- Induction Training
Other information you need to know
This is a remote role, and you will be required to attend online induction training.
You will need access to a phone to make calls and access to emails to receive information regarding your calls.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Marmalade Connections is a time-limited, one-to-one project covering most of the South West. Based on the enabling/empowering social prescribing model, trained volunteers make weekly calls to project members for up to 15 weeks, focusing on their specific needs and interests. The project supports those in our community who are the most socially isolated, and who experience chronic loneliness (feeling lonely all or most of the time).
Marmalade Connections is not a 'befriending call project'. These conversations lead to volunteers signposting the project members to local social activities and community support, to improve their social connections long term.
As a Marmalade Companion Volunteer, you will support one or occasionally two of our project members (the people we support) for a period of up to 16 weeks. The role involves phoning a matched member once a week for a friendly call lasting about 30 minutes plus researching potential social connection and activity opportunities. You will receive training on how to build up a trusted telephone relationship with your project member(s) to enable you to support and signpost them to relevant services and activities. The aim of this project is to help reduce social isolation and loneliness and to support your project member(s) to discover lasting connections in their community.
Registered Charity
6 - 10
We exist to help create a society where we recognise that loneliness exists and support each other to make new connections
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.