Volunteer Befriender

**About us**:
Rescare was founded in 1984 by parents and friends of people affected by the closure of large NHS hospitals for people with learning disability. Run “by families for families”, with members all over the UK.

**About the role**:
Everyone needs other people, but not everyone has someone. For people who become isolated because of ill health, disability or social disadvantage, being matched with a Befriender often fills a big gap. Befriending offers supportive, reliable relationships through volunteer befrienders to people who would otherwise be socially isolated.

Rescare’s Befriending Project is designed to help people who are experiencing feelings of loneliness and isolation to enable them to start to feel connected to other people in a positive way again.

For some, this might mean being encouraged to take small steps and connecting via telephone or engaging in face to face.

**Who can get involved with Rescare’s Befriending Service?**
- A parent of someone with a Learning Disability
- A Carer of someone with a Learning Disability
- An individual with a Learning Disability 18+

We are seeking volunteers to support us with our telephone befriending service.

Volunteers will call their matched befriendee at least once per week to provide connection to those that are experiencing loneliness and isolation.

Befriending relationships are most effective when they last a long time and when frequent contact is made.

**To be a befriender you need to**:

- Volunteer on a regular basis (there is an element of flexibility with this depending on your own schedule and the family’s needs).
- Commit to the befriending a family and their relatives for at least 12 months.
- Be reliable and consistent.
- Be over 18 years old.
- Be UK based. We have people accessing our service across the country.
- Have access to your own mobile phone to make calls from (we encourage keeping your own number private for this role)

**Key Responsibilities**:

- To complete training online prior to commencing your role.
- To build a relationship of friendship and trust.
- To keep your match company by listening and enabling them to live a fulfilled life.
- To complete a visit log after each visit and to participate in regular supervision with the Befriending Coordinator.
- To liaise, at times, with Rescare staff or other agencies as appropriate.
- To uphold Rescare core principles, vision, culture, and values and abide by the policies and procedures as per the volunteer handbook.

**Qualities and Skills**:

- To be reliable and have a genuine interest in the desire to make a difference in the lives of people with learning disabilities.
- Honest and trustworthy.
- Good communication skills.
- Patience and a warm and friendly attitude.

**Key requirements**:

- Provide 2 references.
- Participate in an interview.
- Undertake enhanced Basic DBS check. (*Rescare will fund this)

**Rescare will provide**:

- An online support group.
- Support from our helpline staff and trustees
- Induction and ongoing training.
- Reimbursement of agreed reasonable expenses e.g.travel expenses.

**TO APPLY PLEASE DOWNLOAD AND COMPLETE AN APPLICATION FORM FROM OUR WEBSITE, WE DO NOT ACCEPT CV'S**

**Job Type**: Volunteer

**Salary**: £1.00 per hour

COVID-19 considerations:
Our interview process is remote via Zoom/Teams and the induction training will be online.
Your role is a remote role as a telephone befriender.

Application question(s):

- Are you based in the UK to be able to fulfill this role and do you have your own mobile phone to be able to make befriending telephone calls?
- Why are you interested in becoming a befriender and tell us 3 skills you can offer?
- What are you interests and hobbies?
- Do you have access to a smart device to be able to attend online training (mobile/tablet/laptop) ?

Work Location: Remote

Reference ID: Vol240621