Age Concern Volunteer Opportunities

Advice and information service

Age Concern Blackburn with Darwen has two advice and information offices – one each in Blackburn and Darwen - and outreach services, through which we offer free, confidential and independent information to older people and their carers on a range of issues including benefits, housing and community care.  In fact we can assist with any problem facing older people, using a wide range of information resources.

Advice Offices

Volunteers are involved in dealing with enquiries over the telephone or in person, identifying relevant information and explaining this to the service users.  In addition volunteers carry out relevant administrative tasks to support the advising role.

Volunteers should have excellent listening and communication skills and a good telephone manner.  Most information resources are computerised and volunteers should be willing to undergo training on how to use these resources.

Outreach Advice Service

Volunteers are involved in providing advice and information to these older people in their homes, in particular, assisting with benefit claim forms, and carrying out relevant administrative tasks to support this role.

Volunteers should have excellent listening and communication skills and a friendly manner.  Access to own transport is essential for this role.

Initial and ongoing training and support is provided. 

Caring neighbourhood scheme

Visiting

This scheme provides volunteers to visit socially isolated or housebound older people in their own homes.  Volunteers visit a person to have a chat, build up a friendship and provide a link to the outside world.

Volunteer visitors would usually visit one person once a week, at any time to suit them and the person they visit – so it can fit around work and family commitments.

Phonelink

The Phonelink provides an alternative to a visitor.  Volunteers telephone a number of housebound or socially isolated people, at the same time each week, to have a chat, catch up on the news and provide a link to the outside world.  Phonelink Volunteers are based at our Blackburn office at 4 King Street. 

Caring Neighbourhood Scheme volunteers are also expected to signpost queries onto other relevant Age Concern Services, in particular the Advice and Information Service.

Volunteers should have a friendly and caring manner and excellent communication and listening skills. 

General information

For all of our volunteer roles initial and ongoing training relevant to the role, support and guidance, are provided and all volunteers are expected to attend mandatory health and safety training provided by the organisation. 

Out of pocket travel expenses are available.

All volunteers will be required to provide two satisfactory references and certain roles require a CRB check to be carried out.

For further information about volunteering with Age Concern Blackburn with Darwen click here

Or contact us at Age Concern Blackburn with Darwen, 4 King Street, Blackburn telephone: 01254 266620.