Volunteer - Norfolk Befriending Service - Norfolk

**Please note: this is a voluntary position and not paid employment**

Volunteer with us and our Norfolk Befriending Service supporting unpaid carers

Our **Norfolk Befriending Service **aims to offer an inclusive, trusted service that links volunteers with unpaid carers to help reduce loneliness and isolation, build confidence and improve wellbeing.

**About Caring Together**

Three in five of us will become an unpaid carer at some point in our life.

Caring Together is an ambitious regional charity that provides emotional and practical support, advice and guidance to unpaid carers of all ages and their families, as well as opportunities to take a break from their caring role.

There are currently more than 26,000 unpaid carers living in Norfolk, who provide over 50 hours of care each week to a family member or friend who need help because of an illness, frailty, disability, or a mental health issue.

The Norfolk Befriending Service is an exciting new project focused on providing companionship and wellbeing support to unpaid carers who are experiencing isolation, loneliness and exhaustion in their caring role.

**Our people**

Our vision is a world with no unpaid carer in crisis, isolated or struggling alone and our staff and volunteers are all dedicated to making a difference.

We employ over 160 care professionals, 65 office-based staff and 45 volunteers. Everyone’s roles are important in making the charity run smoothly and effectively.

**We have 3 volunteer opportunities within the Befriending service.**
- **Carer companions** will offer regular companionship and wellbeing support for the carer at home.
This could include:

- Having a cup of tea and a chat
- Playing board games together
- Reading to the carer
- Helping the carer to cook a meal

**Carer companions** can also offer support for the carer in the community to offer reassurance, encouragement and help build independence.
This could include:

- Companionship whilst walking
- Support to access local community services such as the library, supermarket, carer support group or leisure centre.
- **Helping hand volunteers** can offer practical support to allow the carer to spend quality time with their loved one, which would otherwise not be possible.
This could include:

- Dog walking on a lead
- Collecting prescriptions
- Grocery shopping
- Light gardening tasks
- **Carer support volunteers** will offer companionship for the cared-for at home, to allow the carer to access local activities for support, friendship and wellbeing.

This offers similar support to the Carer companion but is focused on supporting the person they are caring for.
This could include:

- Having a cup of tea and a chat
- Playing board games together
- Reading to the cared-for

Our befriending roles can all be adapted to suit your availability and lifestyle.

This is an opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of carers and the people they care for, to meet new people, to use and enhance your existing skills and develop new, transferable skills.

**Where you will be based**

The project is based across Norfolk and volunteers can agree to areas within the county they are willing to consider travelling to.

Please note, our befriending roles **do not** include:

- Tree/ Hedge cutting
- Pressure washing or car washing
- Any lifts or car sharing at all
- Heavy lifting of any kind
- Personal care
- Administering medication

**Your commitment**

Your commitment can be as much or as little as you choose. Ideally with a minimum commitment of six months.

All volunteers must agree to follow Caring Together’ guidance, policy and procedures, including our onboarding process which includes an Enhanced DBS check.

**Benefits to the volunteer**
- Gaining new skills, both practically and personally.
- The satisfaction of knowing you are making an important and valued difference to someone’s life/the work of Caring Together.
- Meeting new people and be part of a friendly team.
- Gaining valuable experience in the social care field within a voluntary organisation.

**Our commitment to you**
- The opportunity to use and enhance your existing skills and develop new, transferable skills.
- Reimbursement of reasonable travel expenses.
- Full and comprehensive training will be given as well as regular debriefing, well-being checks and on-going support.

**Skills and experience**
- A desire to make a difference to people’s lives.
- Like working as part of a team.
- Be approachable and non-judgemental.
- Have access to a laptop/tablet to complete required e-learning
- To be confident to use a smart phone and apps (phone provided)
- Enthusiasm.
- Be friendly and enjoy meeting and supporting people.
- Good verbal/written communication skills.
- Good listening and conversation skills.
- Be committed, reliable and trustworthy.
- Be understanding and respectful.
- An ability to demonstrate patience and sensitivity.

**Get in touch**

Caring Together is committed to safeguarding and pro