Are you passionate about supporting older adults to reduce their loneliness?
Are you looking for a meaningful way to make a positive impact in your community?
From being a friendly face at a community group, to empowering someone to become independent at travelling in the community, every volunteering role with the Age Well team is valued and impactful.
Our Age Well team works in a proactive, preventative manner to improve people's wellbeing, health and reduce loneliness through our Stronger for Longer programme. We work with people aged 55+ who live in Halton over a 12-week period to support them to make and maintain positive changes to their lives.
Our volunteers are an important part of this offer to provide friendly support and encouragement, breaking down any potential barriers to achieving clients’ personal goals – whether that be learning how to order their food shop online, growing their confidence to use public transport or overcoming anxieties about attending a new community group.
Our volunteer roles include:
Community Befriender – support clients with attending groups and activities in the community by accompanying them and offering a friendly presence to empower them to access the community independently in the future.
Digital Buddy – support clients with setting up and/or using digital devices either in their own home or in the community.
Get Together Helper – support the team to run our monthly Get Together events– engaging with the attendees, encouraging them to connect with their peers and get involved with event activities.
Who can volunteer?
Anyone over the age of 16 can volunteer with the Age Well team.
Whether you’re retired, working part or full time, studying, or looking to gain experience in health and social care, we welcome people from all walks of life.
All you need is a kind, friendly approach and a passion for helping people live well for longer.
You will need an Age Well enhanced DBS check, as you will be working with vulnerable adults. The cost of the DBS check will be covered by the Age Well team.
Please note: if you have lived abroad for 12 months or more in the last 10 years additional checks may need to be carried out at a charge to yourself.
How much time do I need to give?
The time you give is entirely up to you. Our roles are flexible and can fit around your life, family, or other commitments. The time you spend volunteering with us depends on the roles you choose to undertake. We expect a level of commitment from our volunteers, but we will always strive to match you with clients based on your preferences and availability. We give volunteers an outline of the support required, such as the location and activity type, before finalising support arrangements.
Each volunteer role requires a different level of time-commitment, as described below:
Community Befrienders
This role can vary from client to client and may require a fluctuating number of volunteer hours. From one-off social visits, to building confidence and community connectedness over several weeks, this role is tailored to the needs of each individual client. For example, initially you may spend half a day attending a community group with a client, but as time goes on and you help to empower them, the time and support you give will slowly decrease. As this role is short term, you can choose how many clients you would like to support at a time, and we can also plan in any breaks you might need.
Digital helper
As a digital helper, you may support clients with one-off support, such as setting up a new TV, or through a series of sessions to master the art of emails! Each session is expected to last about an hour and this role is suitable for a high level of flexibility!
Event helper
We regularly host friendly events where local people can connect, socialise, and chat to our team in a supportive, informal setting. These events are a fantastic way for people to build confidence, find out about local opportunities, and meet others who may be on a similar journey. This role requires approximately 4 hours commitment per month, during the events across the local community.
Our Commitment to you
We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that values diversity and recognises the unique experiences and needs of each individual. We provide a comprehensive induction as well as ongoing support, development and supervision to ensure you feel confident and empowered in your role.
As part of your journey with us, you will also have access to Halton Borough Council training. Some elements of the role require mandatory training, but we also offer access to a wide range of free optional courses that look great on your CV.
How do I become a volunteer?
To register your interest in volunteering with the Age Well team, please complete our application form. We will then contact you to arrange a brief interview, and organise your induction.
At Halton Borough Council, we want all of our volunteers to feel well-informed so if you would like to have an informal chat about this role, please contact: 0300 029 0029 and ask for Jane.
