Face-to-Face Befriender
Volunteer as a Face-to-Face Befriender
Help support unpaid carers in your local area in their home
We provide support to unpaid carers across Surrey. For many of our carers this will be the first they have reached out for help. By becoming a Face-to-Face befriender, you’ll be working with both the carer and cared for client for up to 6 months or 35 hours.
Why become a Face-to-Face befriender volunteer?
- Receive high quality volunteer training
- Gain valuable skills in active listening
- Learn more about the caring process
- Support those who are isolated and lonely
- Become an active member of your local Surrey community
What skills do I need?
As a face-to-face befriender you will have general caring skill which include:
- Patience
- Listening skills
- Adaptability
- Discretion
- Honesty and reliability
- Confidentiality
- Sense of humour
Time commitment
We offer clients up to 6 month or 35 hours of support, usually made up of one-hour visits once a week and we normally ask you to see 2 or 3 clients at a time, initially starting with one. You’ll be able to hold visits at a time that works for you, whether that be during the day, early evening, or weekends.
Training and support
Every volunteer receives full training, irrespective of previous skill and knowledge, so you will feel fully prepared when you make your first visit.
Face to Face training
We hold one full day face to face training at locations across Surrey delivered by Volunteering team at Crossroads Care Surrey. This training includes explaining how we support carers across the county, what befriending is, preparing for your first visit and how the volunteering team will support you during your volunteering. This is followed up by online training for more in-depth learning.
On Going Support
All volunteers are assigned a volunteer coordinator to make sure they are supported in their role. We hold regular volunteer meetings once a quarter for an hour either online or face to face with your volunteer coordinator and other volunteers. Here you would be able to discuss how your volunteering is going, learn from other volunteers and celebrate successes.
Apply now (link to job train)
Mission Statement
Crossroads Care Surrey is an established charity of over 30 years, offering a range of support services to carers and the people for whom they care. We are committed to supporting people at an earlier stage in their care journey and recognise there can be a considerable length of time between a person needing some care and support periodically and them needing full time, round-the-clock care.
