Galway Contact’s Befriending Service covers Galway city and environs.
It provides regular visits to older people who live at home or are in long-stay care and who may feel lonely or isolated. By visiting someone we are also providing support and relief to their families and carers.
We only visit people when requested and with the consent of the older person. A volunteer is matched with an older person and visits them once a week providing friendship and companionship. Each visit is unique.
A volunteer must be garda vetted before commencing their visits and once their visit is set up they are supported by an experienced mentor. Our service is mainly aimed at people aged 65 and over.
Referrals can come from many different sources mainly:
– Older person
– Family member
– Health professional eg. community nurse, social worker.
– Neighbour
To make a referral online or get a copy of our Referral Form click here.
Upon receipt of a referral we contact the older person and arrange to meet to explain the service to them. When a suitable volunteer becomes available we will then introduce them to the older person. Our volunteers are there to provide friendship, not to support with home help or care assistants’ tasks.
You can also contact us by phone or email if you wish to make a referral.
To apply online or to get a copy of our Volunteer Application
form click here.
Some of the benefits of volunteering with Galway Contact:
We ask for a commitment of one hour per week from our volunteers who wish to visit an older person.
As well as befriending an older person we have other volunteer roles you may be interested in:
– helping at our Friday Morning Club
– joining our Management Committee
– driving our bus
– providing IT support
– fundraising
