We seek Friendly Visitor Volunteers to visit with an elderly person to make a difference in their life! You will visit with a senior age 55+ who is homebound and isolated, connecting with them to hear stories, and engage in social programs. Visits are one or two times per week for at least 1 hour each visit.

A day in the life of a Friendly Visitor: Responsibilities and DutiesYou will interact and build relationships with an assigned senior match in need of social interaction, supporting their individual goals, such as:

• Going for a walk
• Friendly conversations
• Listening to music together
• Reminiscing and sharing stories
• Attending online or telephone programs with senior match
• Helping with technology needs
• Encouraged to register any additional older adults in their immediate circle or community that would benefit from the program

You will record/ share the planned interactions with the Volunteer Coordinator:

• How did you spend your time interacting? (Talking, doing a specific activity, walking, etc.)
• What was the engagement level of the senior- when you arrived, and when the visit was completed
• What worked well to engage them, what didn’t
• Any concerns or areas for the team to follow up on with the senior
• Planned interactions recorded weekly via online Google Form.

As a friendly visitor you demonstrate the following qualities:

• Passion for seniors
• Patience and excellent listening skills
• Excellent command of English (written and spoken)
• Any additional languages an asset to communicate with seniors that do not speak English
• Good computer skills
• Willing to follow policies and procedures
• Ability to maintain and protect confidentiality of the personal information of the seniors
• Interest in getting to know their personal stories and experiences
• Flexibility- each visit may look different based on the interest of the senior that day

Each volunteer is required to provide:

• A Vulnerable Sector Screening from the Police/ RCMP
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination (2 doses minimum)

Preferred Experience:

Experience spending time with seniors (family members, community members, etc.)
 

Commitment Expected:

Each volunteer has commitments we are happy to work around, provided it meets the needs of the seniors we serve. Being a friendly visitor requires you to build relationships and get to know your Senior match as a friend- the most successful friendly visitors, visit consistently, so the seniors can get excited about when to expect them. Weekly mutually agreed schedule available Monday through Sunday mornings and afternoons. Some evening visits available upon request of senior clientele.

Frequency and duration at a minimum for this position:

• Frequency- once per week or more frequently
• Duration- at least 1 hour per visit, ideally minimum of  60 hours

Training:

We support a vulnerable group of seniors, and as such online orientation and training is required prior to being matched to a senior.