Love Your Neighbour is our intergenerational one-to-one friendship programme. We introduce younger and older neighbours in Southwark and Lambeth, to share time, laughter, and joy together through regular meet-ups or phone calls, or a mix of both.
We'll connect you with an older person, aged 65 years or over, living in Southwark and Lambeth, for regular calls or visits. You'll build a mutually beneficial friendship with an older person in your local community, learn from and about each other's life experiences, and hopefully become good friends along the way. The 'Love Your Neighbour' friendship programme offers flexibility, you can visit in person (either at an older neighbours' home or outside together) or you can have a phone match friendship or a mix of both.
It is a unique opportunity to connect with someone of a different generation outside of your usual social bubble. The 'Love Your Neighbour' programme provides company, conversation and companionship to help combat social isolation and loneliness. It is a wonderful opportunity to share skills and interests but also acquire new ones too.
You will learn about intergenerational friendships and your greater community .You will gain new perspectives; knowledge and will learn the value of diversifying your friendship groups and taking on a new challenge. Experiencing new company and conversation will help you feel connected to your community, broaden your horizons and gain confidence within yourself and around others.
We ask all our volunteers to attend a volunteer induction where we will tell you everything you need to know about getting involved. Our Love Your neighbour volunteers will also receive 1-2-1 training prior to being matched, and will have a DBS check completed by the South London Cares team.
We are looking for reliable, compassionate, open, friendly, and patient volunteers who are looking to help tackle loneliness through friendship, company and sharing joy.
We ask that you can commit to at least six months of calls or visits once we’ve introduced you to an older neighbour. You will be required to visit or speak to an older neighbour regularly each week. You can decide how this looks, whether it’s 3-4 20 minute phone calls each week, or a one hour visit to sit at home with them, whatever works for you and we’ll match you with someone looking for a similar thing.
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