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Telephone Support Volunteer

Are you looking to give back to your community? Join us at Age UK Isle of Wight as a Telephone Support Volunteer and be the first point of contact for older people by answering our main incoming phone line.

By volunteering, you will be the first point of contact for older people during their time of need, providing vital support and connection to our services. 

Why we need you?

Last year, our team responded to over 15,000 calls from members of the public, all with just one staff member in our Information and Signposting service. Sadly, we’ve had to rely on an answerphone and return call system to manage this overwhelming demand.

By volunteering, you can help us become more responsive and supportive to people in their time of need.

What You’ll Need

  • Time Commitment: We ask that you commit to volunteering at least one morning per week for a minimum of 2.5 hours. This ensures our phoneline remains live and accessible for community members seeking help.
  • Compulsory Training: All volunteers will undergo training before starting. This will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to assist callers effectively.

What next?

Get in touch to find out more.

Email: volunteering@ageukiw.org.uk
Call: 01983 525282

Or simply fill out our online form and someone will be in touch, click here.

How you might be supporting people

  • Listening to answerphone messages and signposting callers and calls to the relevant department.
  • Answer incoming phone calls from the public, providing friendly and helpful assistance.
  • Accurately recording callers details and their query.
  • Reassuring and calming callers.
  • Record data to help us track our outreach and impact.
  • Signposting callers to the appropriate service.
  • Address simple enquiries and forward messages internally as needed.

This role plays a crucial part in filtering calls, allowing our main phone handler to focus on complex or crisis situations. Your support will enable our team to dedicate more time to those who need it most, whilst still be accessible for everyone.

Qualities of a Telephone Support Volunteer

  • Welcoming and friendly.
  • Clear communicator.
  • Accurate record taker.
  • Good listening skills.
  • Good IT skills.