Volunteer Befriender

Volunteer position

**Role Purpose**:

- Helping to alleviate loneliness and isolation by providing social companionship
- Enabling independence, increasing confidence and esteem; empowerment
- Increasing access to support networks, information and services

**Key Tasks**:
1. Maintaining records of client contact and sending this to the Befriending Coordinator at Age UK Merton on a monthly basis

2. Maintaining client confidentiality

3. Attending induction and ongoing training

4. Attending volunteer meetings

5. Keeping in regular contact with the Befriending Coordinator;
6. Attending supervision and reviews

7. Working within policies and procedures of the partner organisations of Merton Befriending Service

**Skills required for this role are**:
1. Good listening skills

2. Understanding and empathy with the needs of older people

3. Ability to empower and promote independence

4. Ability to adhere to boundaries

5. Ability to be open minded and non-judgemental

6. Ability to be friendly and patient

7. Empathy

8. Reliability, punctuality and trustworthiness

9. Ability to read between the lines and, with appropriate training, identify instances where the client needs to be referred back to the organisation (either Age UK Merton or Carers Support Merton) for assistance with specific issues

10. Good communication skills especially in English

11. Ability to maintain written records

12. Agreement and ability to work within organisational policies and procedures

13. Availability of 6 months and over preferred
*

**Job Types**: Part-time, Volunteer
Part-time hours: 1 per week

**Benefits**:

- Work from home

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday
- Weekend availability

COVID-19 considerations:
We are recruiting remotely

Work Location: In person