Carers of East Lothian

Supporting people who care for family and friends

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You are here: Home / News / Call for volunteers – our new befriending service needs you!

March 11, 2022 By CoEL

Call for volunteers – our new befriending service needs you!

Why we need your help

We are starting a befriending service to extend the social support Carers of East Lothian (CoEL) can offer to carers.

The charity Carers UK reports that 8 in 10 carers have felt lonely or socially isolated as a result of their unpaid caring role. We already run peer support groups but we know that some carers need or prefer one-to-one interactions, which is why we are asking for your help.

We are looking for volunteers who are good listeners to maintain regular contact with carers to connect them to others and the organisation. Contact would be by telephone initially but we hope to introduce face-to-face options in the future.

If you have two to four hours to spare each month, for a period of six to twelve months, please consider volunteering with the befriending service, especially if you have personal experience of some of the challenges that caring for another person who relies on your support can bring.

What we can offer you

We want volunteering to be a fun and rewarding experience for all. In addition to training, ongoing support and supervision, we can offer you:

  • Opportunities to meet new people
  • Opportunities to develop your skills and confidence
  • Opportunities to make a difference to carers in your community
  • References and recognition of your service

For an informal chat about volunteering with the befriending service, please contact Kirsteen on 0131 665 0135 or at kirsteen@coel.org.uk.

You can also download a role description and application form here:

  • CoEL Volunteer Befriender Role Description
  • COEL Volunteer Befriender Application Form

If you would like to volunteer with us but don’t think befriending is for you, please get in touch with Catherine on 0131 665 0135 or at Catherine.cain@coel.org.uk.

We’d love to chat to you about other ways you can give your time and share your talents with us to contribute towards improving the lives of carers in East Lothian.

Filed Under: News, Slider

Comments

Lifeline for carers. The support groups are a chance to share information and talk about problems.

Professional, caring, this team does an excellent job. Thank you.

When I contacted COEL the help I received was exceptional and the carers courses were so informative and made my...

An excellent service which has been invaluable. I have no hesitation in recommending CoEL's services to others if I think...

The workers with COEL give the best support and advice truthfully and accurately. No falseness at all. Absolutely the best...

CoEL helped and guided us through our challenges enabling us to see much clearer what we were doing and what...

Quick and helpful response with no fuss. Excellent service

I first contacted COEL some 4 years ago when my husband was first diagnosed with Alzheimers and got excellent advice...

Sensitive, awareness and attention to detail all impeccable. I could not have managed without it.

I now understand better what I need and need to do, with help at hand if needed.

I found CoEL staff very helpful and reassuring when I felt stressed at the form filling to claim benefits and...

I feel very well supported and have been impressed with the service.

Feel totally at ease when we use CoEL. Their knowledge is excellent.

I can't praise your organisation enough for all the help you provided in the past.

Staff member went out of their way to assist me in obtaining the service I required. Member was very understanding...

Having someone to listen to problems and give encouragement and make helpful suggestions (also help with filling in forms) has...

Very supportive, kind, nothing was any trouble, went out of way to help. Nothing but praise for all help given.

I benefitted from a home visit, and I feel now I'm not alone.

It was at a time we were not sure what to do regarding care options for my mother. CoEL were...

Friendly helpful and put you at ease.

The staff in the office were very helpful and supportive when I dropped in without warning a couple of weeks...

Just to know you are not on your own and there is someone else you can rely upon when times...

Contact us

The Carers Centre is open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday.

TEL: 0131 665 0135
EMAIL: centre@coel.org.uk
ADDRESS:
Carers of East Lothian
East Lothian Community Hospital,
Alderston Road, Haddington, EH41 3PF

Carers of East Lothian is a charity registered in Scotland Charity Number SC027000 and a Company Limited by Guarantee No. SC366908

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