Love Your Neighbour - Intergenerational 1-2-1 Friendship Matching

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.

What You'll Do: 

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.

Why You'll Love It: 

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.

What You'll Learn: 

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. 

What We're Looking For: 

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. 

Summary
Volunteering
Befriender
Mental Health
Older People
Social Care
Widening participation
Location of opportunity: 
Across South London
24 Weeks Minimum
1 Hours / Week
Skills you will develop: 
Active listening
Empathy
Interpersonal / Confidence
Relevant interests: 
Charity / Nonprofit
Health, Wellness and Fitness
Requirements: 
DBS check
Over 18 years old
Phone Interview

Similar Opportunities

 
Reading Volunteer for the Orwell Youth Prize
The Orwell Foundation
Min. 0 Weeks Minimum weeks
Reading Volunteer for the Orwell Youth Prize
Volunteering
Volunteer
Arts, Widening participation

Volunteer with the Orwell Youth Prize! The Orwell Youth Prize is an annual writing Prize for young people in secondary school years 7-13, using the writing of George Orwell to encourage entrants to think and write about the world they live in.

 
Gaming Activities Coordinator
Esports Youth Club
Min. 0 Weeks Minimum weeks
Gaming Activities Coordinator
Volunteering
Volunteer
Sports, Young People

 
Community Volunteer
Get Rid of and Donate CIC
Min. 12 Weeks Minimum weeks
Community Volunteer
Volunteering
Assistant
Families, Homelessness, Mental Health, Poverty, Social Care

Get Rid of and Donate CIC, is a local environmental focus community project, that works to support vulnerable people and families in need. GROAD collects donations from the community at our community hubs redistributing reducing waste to landfill.

Related Articles

King's Volunteering
How I used my King's Service Time: Professor...
Professor Mieke van Hemelrijck uses her service time to volunteer as a governor for a school in South East London.
King's Volunteering
'For in the joy of others, lies our own...
Shivani Kakkad, BSc Neuroscience & Psychology Student, shares her volunteering story.
King's Volunteering
Nature-loving Oliver Yu Hurst volunteers with the...
"Making the most of extra-curricular activities on offer at King’s is one of the best ways to expand your skills and experience"