Become A Volunteer

A volunteer befrienders primary role is companionship and there are many different ways in which you can help:

Telephone befriending - minimum commitment 1 hour every 2 weeks
Face to Face befriending - minimum commitment 1 hour every 2 weeks
Hospital and After discharge befriending - this service is by demand
Event volunteering at our social gatherings
Fundraising volunteer

If you are interested in volunteering contact our Befrienders Coordinator on 01478 272058 or by email befrienders@slcvo.org.uk

Volunteer Roles

Face to Face Befriender

Face to face Befriending usually takes the form of a visit every two weeks in a person’s home, or supporting activities out-with their home such as a visit to a cafe, going for a walk or attending a community group. By becoming a volunteer befriender with Befrienders Skye and Lochalsh, you will help build reliable relationships that give people an opportunity to reconnect with others and their community. Find out more here

Telephone Befriender

Telephone Befrienders provide a friendly weekly call to a person to help reduce the effects of loneliness and/or social isolation. As a Telephone Befriender you would call the same person each week to provide a listening ear, connect to the local community and monitor general well-being. Find out more here

Hospital Befriender

Hospital Befrienders visit patients at Broadford Hospital who have limited social connections. They spend time talking with patients or supporting them with activities in the day room. They can make a difference to a patient’s day with a friendly visit and chat or help pass the time while they are in hospital. There may be different patients each time you visit. Find out more here

After Discharge Befriender

After Discharge Befrienders provide short term social support to people who have recently been discharged from hospital. After Discharge Befrienders will usually visit with a person in a specified community council area for a period of up to 6 weeks.

We ask for a minimum of 6 months as an active volunteer however, we recognise that this is an entirely voluntary role and volunteers are of course free to stop when they choose. Although there is no maximum time for a Befriender volunteer, we check with both the client and volunteer every 6 months to ensure the service is still suitable. Find out more here

Application Process - what to expect

All of our volunteers are required to undergo a Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check and will receive relevant training developed in conjunction with Highland Hospice and the Befrienders Network of which we are a member.

Volunteer Applicants are also required to supply two character references, which will be checked on receipt of a completed application form which can be accessed here. To access an application form in a different format please contact out coordinator on befrienders@slcvo.org.uk or 01478272058.

After completion of the application form the co-coordinator will arrange to have an informal chat with you on the phone to arrange to meet with you at a mutually convenient time introduce you to the service and to begin the PVG and training process.

Upon successful completion of the PVG process and required training you will be matched with a Befriendee based on mutual interests.

Volunteer Training and Support

Volunteers will be fully supported by the Befriending Coordinator via a combination of email, telephone and face to face meetings. Full training will be given to allow you to carry out your volunteer role and the Coordinator will arrange a supervision session every six months.

Befriender Feedback

Befriender Volunteers are required to submit a monthly timesheet via our online portal. The Coordinator will check in with you via email on a monthly basis and occasionally we may use other formats, such as questionnaires, to seek further feedback about your experience as a volunteer. We use this information to provide feedback to our partners and funders and to monitor the service to ensure its the best it can be.

Client Review/Feedback

Clients reviews take place every six months, the Coordinator arrange to visit with you to have a discussion about your experience. Occasionally we may ask for feedback in other formats, such as questionnaires.