Enabling Connections Befriending
- Location: Age UK Oldham
- Price: Free
Email: careandsupportservices@ageukoldham.org.uk
Telephone: 0161 622 9288
An extension of our Befriending Service connecting older people to their community with the help of volunteers.
Who is the service for?
We offer short term support for Oldham residents aged 60 years and over who are experiencing loneliness or social isolation, or who have become disconnected from their community following a significant life change.
The service offers free, volunteer-led support for up to six months, helping people build confidence, reconnect with others and become more involved in their local community.
The service may be suitable for people who are:
• Living alone or feeling socially isolated
• Recently bereaved
• Recovering from illness or a hospital stay
• Caring for someone else
• Experiencing mild anxiety or low mood linked to loneliness
• Recently diagnosed with dementia and able to engage with support
• Having difficulty in adjusting to a major life change such as retirement
How we help
Volunteers work alongside individuals to identify achievable goals, such as:
• Joining local groups or activities
• Building confidence to get out and about
• Reconnecting with friends and the local community
• Learning basic digital skills
• Accessing local services and opportunities
Who is eligible?
Individuals should:
• Be aged 60 years or over
• Live in the Oldham borough
• Be experiencing, or at risk of, loneliness or social isolation
• Be motivated to make positive social changes
• Be able to engage with a volunteer for up to six months
• Have capacity to give informed consent
• Be able to manage their own personal care needs
• Be independently mobile when out and about
• Have the ability to maintain community connections independently after volunteer support has ended
When the service may not be suitable
The service is not designed for people who require:
• Specialist mental health support
• Ongoing intensive care or case management
• Treatment for substance dependency
• Significant cognitive support that prevents meaningful engagement
Our volunteers
All volunteers are DBS checked, trained and supported by Age UK Oldham. They provide encouragement and community-based support but do not deliver personal care or clinical services.
If you would like to volunteer for this service, we would love to hear from you. Fill in one of our volunteer application forms which can be found here:
Making a referral
To make a referral or discuss whether the service is suitable, please contact Age UK Oldham on 0161 622 9288
or careandsupportservices@ageukoldham.org.uk or complete the referral form below:
Age UK Oldham's Enabling Connections Referral Form
If a more traditional befriending service is more suitable to your needs, check out our Befriending Service