Lived Experience Stroke Telephone Support Volunteer

Peer support is one of a range of services we can offer to stroke survivors and carers and involves volunteers connecting and supporting others who may have had a similar ‘Lived Experience’ or health condition.

Our Lived Experience telephone volunteers will regularly contact their matched stroke survivor or carer on the telephone to offer a listening ear and share thoughts and experiences.  This offer may be relevant for those in the earlier stages of stroke recovery who have been (or will be) unable to access our traditional offers of peer support.

You will need to be either a stroke survivor or a carer of someone who has had a stroke and be able to use that ‘lived experience’ appropriately to support others.

As a lived experience telephone volunteer you:

• Will make regular 30 minute telephone calls to, a stroke survivor or carer, depending on your own ‘lived experience’ of stroke. These calls will be on a one-to-one basis but you may support more than one person at a time. Occasionally (E.g. if supporting someone with aphasia) Skype for Business may be more appropriate

• May also support or encourage people to work towards accessing other support that is available to them, e.g. My Stroke Guide, the Stroke Helpline or other online support available for people affected by stroke e.g. Facebook groups

• Will be supporting people often be in the early stages of their stroke journey (three-six months post-stroke) so your ‘lived experience’ of being a stroke survivor or carer will be invaluable in helping others navigate what can be a frightening and uncertain time

Time commitment: A suggested time commitment is a regular 30 minute telephone call.
Expenses reimbursed: Out of pocket expenses are reimbursed.
Training provided: Full training is provided as is support.
Selection procedures: An informal discussion, application form completion, 2 references and a disclosure and barring (DBS) check (cost met by organisation).