Volunteer is rated as “outstanding”.
The challenge
M says that at the time of his referral he didn’t have any visitors, family or friends and was very low. He suffered with anxiety and agoraphobia and lived in his own “bubble”. The only person he spoke to at that time was his ex- partner who telephoned him every day and a delivery person who delivered his food.
Our approach
M was referred to us as a prospective telephone friend at the commencement of the Sandwell Together project in April 2020 and has been supported by one of our volunteers, G ever since.
When he heard about the Sandwell Together Service he thought he’d “give it a try” but didn’t expect the calls to go on for more than a few weeks. Now over 5 years later the calls are still going strong and M says “I’d give Sandwell Together 5 stars. I think it’s a phenomenal service, amazing!”
The outcome
M says “the calls make me feel like I have a friend and give me something to look forward to. Although I can’t speak for G I think that we both thoroughly enjoy the conversations. I know I do and I feel we have some really interesting discussions. It feels like a genuine friendship and the calls feel really natural. I hold G in very high esteem”.
M feels that the calls “really help my wellbeing. I don’t think that isolation is something that humans are designed for. Although this is not in person contact I really believe that this is the next best thing and I always enjoy the calls even when on occasion I don’t feel like taking a call beforehand”.
In summary M says “ I have only got good things to say about G. I would say that although she hasn’t changed my life she has really made a very positive difference- she’s outstanding!”
Sandwell Together offers an informal model of befriending support for residents of Sandwell who are lonely, isolated and/or alone. The service offers a vital lifeline which is provided by a team of volunteers who maintain contact appropriate to individual need on an on-going basis. To find out more about the service or to make a referral, please visit the Sandwell Together website page.