Our members really enjoy getting together having a good chat about all sorts of things and, here at Deafblind UK, we hold regular meetings where our members get together online.

Virtual Group Volunteers (a term which incorporates both telephone and video based roles) are a fantastic support to our members and you can also benefit immensely by gaining new friendships yourself. We are looking for volunteers to support in facilitating small groups to enable our members to make the most of their time together, encouraging chat and opening up discussions so everyone gets a chance to participate.

No previous experience is required but a familiarity with the appropriate technology and having access to a computer, laptop or tablet would be required. A confident, outgoing personality with good communication skills goes a long way too!

Could you give an hour or more at a regular time, once a fortnight, to help connect our members (many of whom manage their sight and hearing loss alone)?

Dual sensory loss can be isolating and lonely, however getting people together to enjoy each other’s company goes a long way to tackling this.

What is a Virtual Group Volunteer?
A Virtual Group Volunteer facilitates the remote group calls with our members. The group call could either be a video call, telephone or video call for our BSL members, depending on your chosen role. You would ensure that members are following the guidelines for the group calls and, where required, engage in conversations of mutual interest offering support and company to the group. Your involvement can greatly improve our members’ quality of life and reduce their isolation.

What’s involved?
As a Virtual Group Volunteer your role would be:

• To host a recurring group meeting with the same members on a fortnightly basis (the meeting and invitations will have been generated for you in advance by a member of the Deafblind UK staff team).
• To ensure all members participating in the call are welcomed and actively joined into the group
• To enable the members to discuss topics of their choice without discriminating against anyone.
• To engage in conversations of mutual interest with members and to provide encouragement to maintain the flow of conversation for the allotted time.
• To provide advice and guidance to a deafblind person to a level appropriate within a mutual friendship.
• To provide regular updates of your volunteering activity to your named Deafblind UK contact to flag any concerns or queries.
• To assist in making the groups fully accessible for our members