Volunteer Befriender Volunteer Roles in Belfast

Together Talks Telephone Befriending Service is looking for people who would like to join us in helping to provide support to as many people as possible during challenging times. Telephone Befriending has the potential to be an important aspect of the overall approach to helping the most isolated and lonely individuals in our society. Telephone Befriending can also benefit the volunteer befrienders who are similarly able to reengage with their community and may derive health benefits from regular volunteering. Our aim is to alleviate feelings of anxiety, loneliness and isolation that may be experienced by many people across our communities, by contact from a volunteer befriender. If you’re a friendly person who likes talking to people, then this is the role for you. This service aims to capture volunteers who have their own telephone. Ideally, you will have unlimited minutes on your personal mobile so the calls should not cost you anything. 

What does a Volunteer Telephone Befriender do?

To telephone Befriendee’s at their home for around 10 -30 minutes. You will arrange the exact times of your future calls direct with the Befriendee’s. This could range from once a day to once a week, but individual needs will be matched with your availability 

To provide a telephone conversation, a listening ear and chat about interests and hobbies, helping to alleviate loneliness and feelings of isolation.

To provide companionship and human interaction at a time when this may be limited.

To provide an update after each call to the Together Talks support Team. This is so we can keep a track of the amount of befriending calls each volunteer is undertaking, the type of support being offered during these calls and if there is anything further required.

It is important to note telephone befriending is not counselling or therapy and other services must be sought if this is required.

Benefits

• Free DBS.
• Discounted food.
• Store discount.
• Work from home.
• Above all you will be making a positive difference in your befriendee’s life.
• As a volunteer telephone befriender, you will learn how to support others, make friends, become more confident, and practice communication skills.
• You will gain new and transferable skills. We offer support for you to increase your own job-readiness and personal development.
• Training opportunities,
• Volunteering experience
• Detailed references will be provided.

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We are looking for non-judgemental, reliable, and patient individuals, who have an understanding (or the ability to learn) about domestic abuse and are confident using the telephone to join our volunteer befriending service. Befrienders will offer emotional support and promote self-care and healthy lifestyle choices to improve wellbeing and help alleviate isolation. The befriender will receive full training and ongoing support and supervision from our coordinator.

responsibilities

• Provide a weekly or fortnightly telephone call/video call or when appropriate face -to face session.
• Providing emotional support, including non-judgemental active listening
• Helping individuals to think about self-care, healthy lifestyle and development of routine
• Supporting individuals to pursue interests/hobbies and opportunities
• Supporting and gently encouraging people to make changes to improve their lives
• Helping individuals to achieve their goals and become empowered.
• To be aware of child and adult protection issues and report these to the Designated safeguarding leads.

Experience

• Respect for the confidentiality and self-respect of service users
• Non-judgemental, reliable and patient
• To be friendly, approachable, good communication skills and a good listener
• Knowledge and understanding of (or ability to learn) domestic abuse and the effects on ALL persons
• Confident using the phone
• Ability to calmly respond to the needs of the individual you are befriending
• Organisational and basic admin skills

What you will gain as a volunteer?

• A rewarding experience and opportunity to make a positive difference in the life of someone
• Training enabling you to develop new skills and broaden your knowledge.
• Skills development in support work
• On-going training and opportunities for personal development and progression
• Support and supervision
• Reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses

Could you help prevent loneliness and isolation for people living with BPD and become a befriender?

• Do you have 1-2 hours a week to give to a service user suffering from BPD and feeling isolated or lonely?
• Can you offer support, through a listening ear and be a positive influence in a service users life to help build self-esteem and confidence?
• Will you enable our service users to benefit from knowing someone is there to listen, be a friend, and check in on their wellbeing?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, then we would love to hear from you!

Key responsibilities

Your role will include, but is not restricted to the following tasks:

• Carry out weekly checks with the service users you are supporting, this may be over the telephone or via Teams.
• Engage the service user and help empower them
• Help service users to rediscover social skills and confidence by building up and maintaining a close relationship
• Keep accurate records of calls and sessions
• Report any concerns to the Volunteer Coordinator

Skills required

No qualifications or volunteering experience is required, but the following skills are essential:

• Be aged over 18
• Must have lived in UK for 2+ years
• A non-judgemental approach
• Good listening and communication skills
• Empathetic and compassionate
• Reliable and trustworthy
• Respect confidentiality
• Be able to work on own initiative
• Ability to build effective working relationships with service users
• A DBS check and 2 references are required for this role

What we offer

• a comprehensive induction program
• training on safeguarding, confidentiality, health and safety and other training relevant to the role
• ongoing support and supervision
• the chance to meet other volunteers and take part in volunteer events
• reimbursement of pre-agreed expenses

Do you speak Twi and are looking to give back to the local community? By joining our team of befrienders, you will support us to reach some of the most isolated adults in the community to reduce their feelings of loneliness, build friendships and provide support for mental wellbeing.

What you will be doing

• Agree a mutual time and frequency to meet in the local community
• To develop and promote a positive relationship with your befriendee
• To engage in conversation in Twi
• To encourage your befriendee to engage in social activities and support

them in doing so whilst building their confidence

• To support your befriendee in developing their goals and social skills
• Encourage your befriendee to make links with community services, based

on their identified goals. 

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job

applications

• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues thatimpact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun.

Do you speak Albanian and are looking to give back to the local community? By joining our team of befrienders, you will support us to reach some of the most isolated adults in the community to reduce their feelings of loneliness, build friendships and provide support for mental wellbeing.

What you will be doing

• Agree a mutual time and frequency to meet in the local community
• To develop and promote a positive relationship with your befriendee
• To engage in conversation in Albanian
• To encourage your befriendee to engage in social activities and support

them in doing so whilst building their confidence

• To support your befriendee in developing their goals and social skills
• Encourage your befriendee to make links with community services, based

on their identified goals

What's in it for you

• Supporting You - You will have a dedicated volunteer supervisor to support you in your role; Quarterly volunteer forums with the central Volunteering team and volunteers across Hestia; References for job applications
• Developing You - You will gain knowledge and insight into issues thatimpact Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery and Mental Health; You will have access to our extensive Learning and Development Programme; 40% of our departed volunteers secured a paid role at Hestia last year!
• Valuing You - We hold annual Volunteer Awards and Celebration events; We reimburse travel expenses and up to £5 for lunch for your volunteering; We hold social events and outings for our volunteers to get together and have some fun

At Qube, we offer a telephone befriending service for people who may be at risk of loneliness or isolation so they can enjoy chatting with someone over the phone from the comfort of their home.

Many people feel lonely from time to time. Still, some of us are at a greater risk as other factors contribute to this feeling such as old age, social anxiety, living alone, being unemployed or having caring responsibilities, and many more.

As a volunteer, you would befriend someone who may be isolated or lonely. It's a safe and easy way to get to know someone from the comfort of their own home.

Volunteers will be matched with members of the public who have requested telephone befriending, by one of our team to have a weekly telephone chat together.

What's great about becoming a telephone friend?

It's a free, simple way to give something back through a weekly call to a person in need.

Our dedicated team will match you with someone who has shared interests.

Your calls can make a huge difference to the happiness and wellbeing of the other person.

Time commitment is up to an hour each week.

About Qube

Oswestry Community Action, (Qube) is a registered charity and multi-service provider of community facing wellbeing services. Our mission is to support and enhance the wellbeing and quality of life of communities in Shropshire and the bordering Welsh counties. We support people through the provision of community transport, social groups and befriending, volunteer brokering, community health awareness support and arts and culture. Our service offering has developed over time and continues to evolve in response to local need; such as rural poverty and lack of opportunities; particularly for social isolation, education and poor public transport provision.

Additional Information

We offer an initial taster session, following registration, and then a four week trial period which is reviewed for future progression.

Where applicable, travel expenses will be paid at the rate of 45p per mile up to a distance of 10 miles from your home.

Full support from our Volunteer Co-ordinator.

The impact a volunteer telephone befriender can have on a lonely individual is amazing and for many of our service users our volunteer telephone befrienders are the only people in their lives who can offer quality time for a nice chat. With just one hour of your time per week you can help provide companionship and support for someone suffering from chronic loneliness. 

You will have to complete a DBS check and an Adult’s Safeguarding training, both covered by our organisation.

For this role volunteers will gain: 

• Confidence using the telephone.

• Develop interpersonal and communication skills. 

• Free Safeguarding and DBS check

Time Commitment 

Volunteers can give a minimum of 1 hour per week and must commit to a minimum of 3 months. However, the longer you commit to this role the more you will benefit. 

Training

• Level 2 Safeguarding adults 

We offer ongoing supervision and regular catch ups with team members. The volunteer has the opportunity to meet with fellow volunteers for monthly or bimonthly zoom events. 

Is a DBS Check required? 

• We require all applicants to provide two references. DBS is required for this role, but the cost will be provided by the Dialogue Society

Personal Requirements 

• Engage with a client to provide support on a weekly basis or schedule a specific time with the client. 

• For this role you will need a clear and polite telephone manner.

• The ability to actively listen, empathise and promote conversation.

• Adhere to the appropriate guidelines while communicating with the clients, preserving the reputation of the organisation. 

• To identify if a person may be at risk and alert a supervisor.

• To maintain confidentiality. 

• To work within a team of volunteers and staff.

• To work within Dialogue Society’s policies and procedures

• A non-discriminatory and a non-judgemental attitude 

• Reliable 

Deafblind UK members have combined sight and hearing loss and many can feel lonely or socially isolated. We offer a free telephone befriending service where we match volunteers with one of our members to have a weekly 30 minute chat together.

We are looking for confident, empathetic and friendly people who can hold a good conversation. You could be chatting about similar interests or learning about each other’s lives. Whatever the conversation you’ll be having a positive impact.

One 30 minute call seems really simple but having someone to talk to and someone to listen, could really make a difference to our members. It could be that you’re the only person they speak to that day, or even that week.

Our members love to chat with people who have had some life experience and stories to tell. You will need good communication skills and be able to strike up a conversation. You will also need to be reliable, patient with a naturally warm and friendly nature.

We will ensure you are supported throughout your journey with us, offering training and support at all times.

Are you a male who has recovered from a long-term or chronic illness?

Bright Futures UK (BFUK) is looking for someone like you to make a difference in the life of a young person who is currently battling a similar illness.

What You'll Do:

• Provide companionship and support to a young person who understands the struggles you’ve faced.
• Offer encouragement and share your journey to inspire hope and resilience.
• Engage in regular, meaningful conversations to help them feel less isolated.
• Share coping strategies and advice based on your personal experiences.

Why You'll Love It:

• Make a profound impact on someone’s life by offering your unique perspective and support.
• Be a part of a compassionate community that values your experience and dedication.
• Experience personal fulfillment by giving back and helping others through their challenging times.

What You'll Learn:

• Enhance your communication and mentoring skills.
• Gain insights into the ongoing challenges faced by young people with long-term illnesses.
• Receive free safeguarding training, volunteer training, and a DBS check.

What We're Looking For:

• Male volunteers who have experienced and recovered from long-term or chronic illness.
• Empathy, understanding, and the ability to relate to young people going through similar experiences.
• Commitment to regular interactions to provide consistent support.

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Thank you for considering this opportunity to share your strength and support!

Bright Futures UK works with young people who have been forced to take time out from education due to chronic illness. We provide programmes to help stimulate learning in addition to having a social aspect that offers respite to the isolation these young people face due to their unfortunate circumstances.

What You’ll Do:

• Provide educational support and a fun, safe space for young people.
• Engage with young people in a positive and friendly way, helping them overcome their experiences and not feel defined by their illness.
• Interact with a young person on a one-to-one basis, leading conversations or trying new hobbies together (e.g., book club, video games, music, crafts).

Why You'll Love It:

• Make a significant impact by helping young people who have missed out on school experiences.
• Fit volunteering into your working day or busy schedule with a commitment starting from just 1 hour per week.
• Receive full support from Bright Futures UK staff, including training and resources.
• Gain personal fulfillment by providing much-needed companionship and support to young people facing challenging times.

What We’re Looking For:

• Warm and energetic individuals who can positively engage with young people.
• No tutoring experience necessary; full training is provided.
• Ability to create a fun and safe space for young people to explore new interests and skills.

Your sessions will be fully supported by Bright Futures UK staff – whether you have questions, need resources or materials, or just want to bounce an idea off the team, we’re here to help.

We’re looking forward to working with you to help our young people reach their true potential!

Thank you for considering this opportunity. Apply now and make a difference!

Practical Considerations:

We cover all expenses and materials used.

We are asking for one hour online a week.

DBS will be provided where needed.

Safeguarding training provided with certification.

Must be 18 or over to volunteer.

Would you like to gain experience of volunteering with a non-profit and supporting people with mental health conditions? We are looking for passionate and dedicated people to take part in our 12-week placement program.

About the Placement

Over the course of 12 weeks you will recieve training in a wide variety of topics relating to mental health and support services, as well as the opportunity to work directly with people living with a range of mental health conditions including BPD, PTSD, Bipolar, anxiety and depression. 

As well as our bespoke training covering confidentiality, safeguarding, mental health awareness, emotional regulation and trauma, you will have the opportunity to run support groups, provide befriending and undertake a 4-week independent project relating to mental health and support services, as well as the opportunity to get involved in outreach and community engagement. 

About You

You don't need any experience, just a passion to learn more about mental health and be able to commit to the length of the program. This is a fully remote placement program, so you will need a computer with reliable broadband, the equipment to participate in Teams calls and a quiet space to join calls and groups. You will also need to provide 2 references and preferably have a DBS certificate on the update service. 

Time Committment

This is a 12-week program, each week you will be required to attend 2hrs of training/workshops which are held on Monday evenings, and 1 support group session per week which is held on Sunday evening. 

Places are limited, apply today

This is an excellent opportunity to enhance your CV, develop new skills and knowledge, meet like-minded people and increase your understanding of mental health. At the end of the placement we will provide you with a final personalised report summarising your placement achievements and personal growth, and provide you with a certificate of achiement, and can provide references on request. 

Download the info pack to find out more. Places are limited so please apply as early as possible. Applications for the next placement will close on August 31st, interviews will be held week commencing 2nd September and placement begins on September 16th.