Reading Friends Volunteer for Stockton Borough Libraries. As a Reading Befriender, you'll be helping to tackle loneliness in your local community by using books and reading to share stories and start conversations over the telephone.

What You'll Do: 

Reading Friends is all about reading, whether that’s books, magazines, newspapers, or anything else, chatting together and having fun. You don’t have to be an expert in literature to take part. All that’s needed is a love of reading and a desire to help people feel more connected in their community.

As a Reading Befriender, you'll be helping to tackle loneliness in your local community by using books and reading to share stories and start conversations over the telephone.

Reading Friends is a national programme developed by the Reading Agency and administered in Stockton by Stockton Borough Libraries

Role

  • To make a weekly phone call to an individual who has registered to use the service.
  • To carry out a 30-60 minute phone conversation with a focus on reading but not exclusive to reading.
  • To provide a listening ear and friendly voice to people who may be feeling lonely. 
  • To provide a non-judgemental, open minded environment for the individual to share their thoughts.
  • To raise any concerns to the Reading Friends co-ordinator should any additional needs or services be identified.
Why You'll Love It: 
Our volunteers have found they enjoy and look forward to their weekly phone call with their Reading Friend. You will make friends and enjoy talking about a subject you both love.
What You'll Learn: 
You'll develop communication and listening skills. 
What We're Looking For: 
Skills required A love of reading and the desire to share this with others. We will aim to match you with a service user with similar interests. A friendly and welcoming manner. Good communication and listening skills with the ability to build rapport through conversation. Open minded and non-judgemental attitude. The ability to identify where concerns need to be raised with the Reading Friends Co-ordinator. Patient and sensitive approach and the ability to empathise with people. Reliable and trustworthy. The confidence to read to others. Ability to follow guidelines/instructions. Have the initiative to work without supervision
Summary
Volunteering
Mental Health
Older People
Arts
Stockton
10 Weeks Minimum
1 Hours / Week
Skills you will develop: 
Active listening
Communication
Empathy
Requirements: 
DBS check
Phone Interview
Training

Similar Opportunities

 
Re-Connect Volunteer
Age UK Teesside
Min. 6 Weeks Minimum weeks
Re-Connect Volunteer
Volunteering
Community, Mental Health, Older People

Age UK Teesside offers a targeted and time-limited, enabling service for people aged 65 and over, aimed at tackling social isolation. The service can help people to re-engage in activity which is meaningful and enjoyable and helps build confidence

 
Customer Service Volunteer
Oxfam Darlington
Min. 12 Weeks Minimum weeks
Customer Service Volunteer
Volunteering
Refugees, Poverty, Disaster Relief, Environment, Hunger

As a Sales Assistant Volunteer you will be at the till, serving customers as the friendly face of your shop. You will help people facing poverty around the world by giving great customer service and making donors and customers feel welcome.

 
Volunteer Supervisor (Sundays)
Oxfam Darlington
Min. 16 Weeks Minimum weeks
Volunteer Supervisor (Sundays)
Volunteering
Refugees, Poverty, Disaster Relief, Environment, Hunger

Weekend Volunteer Supervisor, assisting the shop manager in leading, managing, and developing the shop team.

Related Articles

Volun-tees
January Newsletter
Welcome Back for Semester 2
Volun-tees
The Access Project
Here at The Access Project, we will be taking this opportunity to thank our amazing team of student volunteer tutors.
Volun-tees
February Newsletter
Welcome!!