At FAB Age UK Bristol, we support people aged 50+ to stay connected, active and able to live well. For many people, this can be the difference between feeling isolated and feeling part of a community.
There’s no upper age limit to our work and our mission is simple: to help people not just survive but truly thrive as they age.
We’re proud to be part of making Bristol an Age Friendly city, where people can continue to live fulfilling, independent and connected lives.
Our organisational objectives are to
- Provide top-quality services and support to all older people in Bristol.
- Lead and enable collaboration between other organisations working with older people in Bristol.
- Influence public spending and policies in a way that benefits older people in the city.
- Promote positive attitudes to ageing in Bristol.
We do this by
- Providing quality information
- Delivering quality services
- Involving older people
- Giving older people a voice
- Working in partnership
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Maintaining an effective organisation
Volunteers are important and valued members of the team at Age UK Bristol. We will do our best to make your volunteer experience enjoyable and rewarding.
What is Friends Aging Better (FAB)
Friends Ageing Better (FAB) is a community of older people share what is happening in the city while building relationships with like-minded people who live locally and enjoy special events and discounts. FAB runs FAB Cafes which are informal regular meet-ups for members, as well as other events and regular activities happening across Bristol, from Avonmouth to Southville and from Henleaze to Withywood. We also run a Phone Café for people who would struggle to get out of the house to socialise. This service is free and only requires a mobile or landline.
Purpose of the FAB Phone Café Host
The purpose of this role is to host our FAB Phone Café helping to create a friendly, welcoming space and community connections with a group of older people facing isolation.
You will be supported in this role by the FAB Project Coordinator.
This role involves
- Welcoming older people who are new to the telephone group.
- Facilitating conversation in the group
- Keeping attendance sheets for group participants.
- Providing information about events and activities happening in the local area with the support of the FAB team
The qualities and skills required for this role are
- A friendly disposition, with the ability to create a welcoming atmosphere and include people so as to encourage an enjoyable experience.
- Ability to be assertive and lead people to having positive exchanges, for instance manage group members who may dominate the conversation.
- Reliability and punctuality – calls need to run on time.
- Access to a reliable internet connection and a computer or tablet.
- Confidence in using new software so that calls run on time and everyone connects with the group (training provided; the platform we use is quite straightforward and easy to learn).
- Good verbal communication skills to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible and encourage shyer callers.
- An understanding of the needs of older people.
- Ability to respond to any Safeguarding concerns and keep the environment safe.
- Willingness to follow Age UK Bristol’s policies, such as Confidentiality, Safeguarding, Health & Safety and Equal Opportunities, and to complete any training and admin needed to perform the role.
Time commitment
Availability for 1 or 2 hours a week.
Training
We offer an induction and ongoing support to help you feel confident in your role, along with other relevant training opportunities.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check
This role does not require a DBS check.
Location
Home based.
Expenses
We reimburse all reasonable expenses associated with the role, for instance travel.
For more information email Volunteering@ageukbristol.org.uk