Call companion training

Training 1: Introduction

As a Call Companion volunteer, you’ll offer friendship and support to an older person through regular one-to-one phone calls.

Who will I be matched with?

You’ll be matched with an older person, aged 75 or over, who is experiencing loneliness or isolation. For many, your phone call may be their only conversation of the week, while others may have more social connections but still feel lonely.

What skills do I need?

We’re looking for empathetic volunteers with good listening skills. Great Call Companion volunteers are friendly, warm and reliable.

Throughout these training modules, we’ll offer advice and tips on how to employ active listening skills in your role, topics of conversation and potential challenges you might be faced with, and how to overcome them.

What happens on my first call?

When we find you a match, we’ll send you an email to introduce the name as well as the availability of the older person. They’ll also receive a letter to explain we’ve found them a match.

They may have been waiting a little while for a Call Companion volunteer so when you get in touch for the first time, it’s helpful to remind them about the Call Companion service and Re-engage. On your first call you’ll want to agree with the older person you’re supporting, how often you’ll call, on which day / time and for how long, if possible.

In the first instance your phone calls should focus on getting to know the older person and supporting them to talk about whatever they want to. Please read our quick guide to becoming a successful Call Companion.

How do I make my call?

All Call Companion calls are made via Together.ly, our telephone befriending platform. When we find you a match, we’ll provide you with the telephone number of the platform via email – it’s the same every time – which you’ll dial at the time of your call. Together.ly will then connect you with your match, without either of you needing to know the other’s direct number.
   
Because this is a telephone service that automatically links your number to that of your companion, you’ll need to make your calls from the same phone number each time and let us know as soon as possible if you change your phone number.

What will the older person I’m matched with want to talk about?

No two older people are the same – some may prefer to share lots about their lives and experiences while others might want to hear more about you. You might chat about your interests, what you’ve both been up to or even difficulties the older person is facing. We’ll share some tips throughout this training about how to keep conversation flowing.

You may find that the older person you’re matched with doesn’t contribute a lot to the calls at first, but it’s important to persevere and it’s ok to ask questions, even if answers are short. It might not feel like it, but a small amount of your time can bring great comfort to someone feeling lonely, isolated, or low.

What do Re-engage expect from me?

Your role is to make your regular phone call at the agreed time, provide a listening ear and friendly chat, and to inform us of any worries. We expect you to maintain confidentiality too and ask you not to share details about your calls with friends or family members, but you can share any worries with the Re-engage team. More details on this is covered in your Safeguarding training.

Your role is not to resolve an older person’s personal issues or problems. Sometimes you might signpost to helpful national services (details available in the resources section), but we’re always on hand to guide you, or make formal referrals, if you feel the older person needs some extra support.

Supporting someone as a Call Companion volunteer can be deeply rewarding, but it may also be challenging – and that’s okay. You’re never alone; Re-engage is here to support you whenever you need it.