It's a terrible thing to be lonely. Did you know that 1.2 million older people are chronically lonely, and in South Gloucestershire, we have over 150 people waiting for a volunteer to visit? You can do something to help by becoming a Befriender with Age UK South Gloucestershire.
Befriending volunteers get matched with an older person in the community. They visit them or give them a call regularly to provide companionship.
What you will get out of it
- It's a great way to make a real difference in someone's life
- You'll be giving something to your community
- You get to be part of Age UK South Gloucestershire's friendly volunteer team
- Volunteers tell us they find befriending really rewarding
What is expected of me?
Befriending volunteers are expected to contact their match regularly; this usually works out at least once a week which will be worked around your existing commitments.
For Befrienders who visit a client in person, a commitment of around an hour visit per week is expected. With telephone befriending, this can be more variable depending on the client. Some clients appreciate a couple of short check-in calls in a week, while others are happy for one long chat.
All volunteers will also need to attend relevant training sessions (online or in person), provide references and undertake a DBS check appropriate to the role.
We are looking for befrienders across the whole of South Gloucestershire, with a particular need in Yate and Kingswood.