Social Support Volunteer - Heroes for Heroes Veterans

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Through the COVID-19 crisis, several Nevadans were socially isolated and experiencing loneliness. The NEST Collaborative partnered with Nevada Department of Veterans to offer a special opportunity called Heroes for Heroes: https://veterans.nv.gov/heroes/

Heroes for Heroes volunteers provide virtual social support to residents of the Northern and Southern Nevada Veterans Homes, along with homebound veterans or those a part of military families across the State.

One-to-One Calls: Volunteers call a list of up to five veterans up to twice weekly for a friendly conversation and check-in. Volunteers refer any additional needs of veterans in the community to appropriate local veteran resources.

Peer Social Groups: Volunteer host virtual social groups via Zoom or teleconference of up to five veterans. Groups have yet to be launched, but would aim to create an interdependent system of mutual social support amongst veterans. The Volunteer facilitates conversation and helps builds those connections.

Volunteers serve under a Guide who is themselves an employee or volunteer of the Nevada Department of Veteran Services. Volunteers are expected to a attend a cohort huddle with their Guide and other Volunteers in their cohort for 30 minutes once per week.

Training is conducted entirely virtually through a set of online, self-paced webinars (approximately 2 hours) followed by two days of live sessions with a trainer (3.5 hours by Zoom videoconference per day). Volunteers receive an in-depth training with an emphasis on veteran culture and communication. Volunteers are asked to make a commitment of one year of volunteer service.