Be a lifeline to an isolated senior - become their phone buddy!

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California only, thank you.

Loneliness in our elderly population is a growing problem in our country. Millions of seniors are disconnected from friends and family, many living alone with no way to engage with the outside world. They feel forgotten. As a result, their emotional and physical health has been severely compromised. Loneliness-induced depression, heart disease, obesity, and other diseases have increased for seniors in the last few years.

Friendly Voices weekly phone buddies provide a vital human connection to the most needy seniors in our society. You will be a lifeline - a warm voice, an empathic presence, a consistent and reliable friend.

• No prior experience required.
• Must be mature, responsible, and able to handle complex emotional situations with our clients.
• Age 40+ in California.
• 60-90 minutes per week. Fully remote.
• Minimum 6 month commitment.
• Bilingual Mandarin/English and Spanish/English volunteers especially needed.
• You'll be matched with 2 seniors, each of whom you'll call every week at a scheduled day/time using your own phone at your own location.
• Each phone conversation is about 30 minutes.
• These conversations typically take place on weekdays between 9am-5pm PT.
• You'll be trained via Zoom and mentored by an experienced volunteer.
• You'll need access to a computer and familiarity with Google Sheets.
• This volunteer work can be challenging at times. Our senior clients are isolated due to many factors. These may include struggles with physical and/or mental health; lack of technology; lower income; cognitive and memory challenges; isolation from friends or family; normal aging. Yet this work is also deeply rewarding. You will be creating a vital human connection with your buddies, helping them know every week that they have not been forgotten.
• To start your Phone Buddy application process, email our Program Director laura@friendlyvoices.org who will contact you with next steps.Applicants will complete an online application, a phone interview, and a background check.