Buddy Volunteer

Would you support someone who is lonely and isolated become more active and involved in their community?

Could you accompany someone to an activity?

If your answer is yes, we would like to hear from you.

What will you be doing?

Provide support and encouragement to people who would like to get out of the house and become more socially integrated and engaged in their community. This could simply involve meeting for a coffee and a chat, a walk around their village or local park or having company to ride on public transport.

Help people pursue hobbies / interests attending activities with the person.

Provide support and encouragement to people who want to be more active but who are nervous or reluctant to attend on their own. e.g. maybe just out for a coffee, walking group, yoga etc.

• Mentoring / Coaching


• Social care / Counselling, Confidence in meeting new people


• Good communication.


• Experienced with skills in social care - communication, empathy, patience and flexibility.


• Non-judgmental and accepting of people from different backgrounds to your own and who may find themselves in difficult circumstances


• Reliable and dependable - you should arrive at meet-ups as agreed


• You may require a degree of physical fitness - however this will depend on the needs of the supported person, and you are not obliged to support if the activities/interests are not to your liking Access to a car/transport of your own may be useful - it is not mandatory but depending on the location of the supported person and the chosen activity, then you may need to travel (expenses are re-imbursed).
  
  Either in or out of office hours Estimate of time needed:

1-3 hours / week, 3-7 hours / week or 7-15 hours / week