Re-engage is a charity that is positive about older age and committed to fighting loneliness so that people can have social lives and friendship groups however old they are. We inspire and enable ...
Telephone call companion for an older person
Contact person
Shammie Robshaw-Bryan
#100174
Scan me or visit www.govolunteerglos.org/o/Re-engageuk/opportunities/Telephone-call-companion-for-an-older-person/100174 to join
Summary
As a call companion you’ll make regular telephone calls to an older person experiencing loneliness and isolation.
Detailed description
Do you have time for a chat?
We’re urgently seeking call companions - volunteers who’ll make regular phone calls to older people waiting for friendship and connection. Right now, there’s an increased need across the UK. Your voice could shorten that wait.
What’s involved? A simple, meaningful role:
- Once matched, you’ll chat for around 30 minutes, weekly or fortnightly - at a time that suits you both
- Follow our friendly guidance to make calls engaging, respectful, and supportive
- Stay in touch with our coordination team; flag any concerns
- Keep updated via our volunteer newsletter and resources
- It’s all done from home, flexible around work, family and life commitments.
Who we’re looking for:
You don’t need a special degree or years of experience - just qualities that make you human and compassionate:
- Friendly, patient, and kind
- Good listener, curious, able to ask questions
- Able to commit for at least 12 months
- Comfortable using basic online tools (for training, check-ins, etc.)
- Aged 18+
We provide a 30-minute group induction, identity checks, references, and online training.
Why this matters, and why it matters for you too:
For the older person:
Many are socially isolated, cut off from community and conversation. A regular phone call can become a lifeline of friendship, reducing loneliness and helping people feel seen, heard, and remembered.
For you:
- volunteering that boosts you - being a call companion can improve your own wellbeing.
- Volunteering is linked with greater life satisfaction, lower stress, and improved mood
- Building a relationship with someone different from your usual circle can broaden perspective
- It gives you a meaningful, regular purpose - knowing your time really matters
You’ll also be supported and appreciated; from training, team check-ins, to volunteer recognition with our annual awards.
What’s needed from you:
- A reliable time slot for the calls
- Consistency for at least 12 months
- Readiness to engage - but also to simply listen
- An online connection (phone, internet)
Take the first step
- If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, and can commit to, we’d love to hear from you!
What we will provide to volunteers
🤝 Extra support
About Re-engage
Re-engage is a charity that is positive about older age and committed to fighting loneliness so that people can have social lives and friendship groups however old they are. We inspire and enable meaningful connections and shared experiences within communities across the UK for people over 75 facing loneliness and social isolation.
Our volunteers work together to create better communities and help to enrich the lives of our members by giving them something to look forward to.
Older people who may have felt very alone, now feel valued as individuals, continue to form friendships, and have groups that give support. We make sure that people know they are important well into old age. Respectful, determined, warm, pioneering, and local: we are Re-engage and we are bringing generations together.