Switchboard Over 50's Club in London

Are you aged 50 or over and want to volunteer your time to give back to the LGBTQIA+ community? Can you commit to completing a 3 hour shift every 2 weeks during the day on Mondays OR Tuesdays? Are you a strong communicator who likes to speak with people both over-the-phone and via instant messaging tools? Can you commit to volunteering for 6 hours every month/18 hours every quarter? If so, we have something for you!

Who are we?

Switchboard LGBTQIA+ exists to provide members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as their friends, family and those supporting them, with a listening service that they can contact via phone, instant message and email between the hours of 10am to 10pm every day. We are happy to talk to service users about any topic they wish. Topics we often talk to service users about include: sexual health, safer sex, relationships, coming-out, gender identity, transitioning, mental health, experiences of hate crimes, support for meeting other LGBTQIA+ people and making friends, and much more.

However, we want to also be upfront and transparent about the fact that not all of our conversations are positive or constructive. Our volunteers can also be exposed to abuse from the public, manipulative callers, sexual fantasies and safeguarding concerns.

What is our over 50's club?

Our over 50's club is a new initiative for Switchboard. We want to create a space that enables older members of the LGBTQIA+ community to volunteer with us on our phone lines and instant messaging service, whilst providing a social element that encourages volunteers to come together at our London HQ. This club will meet on both Mondays and Tuesdays during the day (you can choose which day works better for you), completing a shift either between 10am to 1pm or 2:00pm to 5:00pm. You can join us weekly or bi-weekly, whichever you prefer. We then come together between 1pm and 2:00pm to have lunch (paid for by us) and a good natter! Volunteers who support Switchboard in this capacity are trained to take both phone calls and respond to instant messages. They do not respond to emails, however.

Who are we looking for?

• Simply put, like communicating and chatting with other people (you’re most likely a people-person who feels energised by this type of communication).
• Feel comfortable taking calls and speaking over the phone to people you do not already know.
• Are familiar with different instant messaging platforms (such as WhatsApp and other chat tools) and the types of communication they might receive.
• Are able to read between the lines to decipher messages.
• Are good listeners who let others lead conversations and instead create the space they need.
• Are able to ask broad, open questions to keep conversations flowing.
• Understand the importance of using the right tone when communicating in writing, and are able to flex their writing style to suit different people.
• Have a strong attention to detail, with a particular focus on spelling and grammar.
• Are able to evaluate sources of information and identify those that can be trusted, from those that cannot.
• Know when to challenge and when to step back.
• Have essential digital literacy skills (such as using email tools such as Gmail and Outlook, search the web for information and copy and paste website URLs).
• Understand and support our mission.
• Have an awareness of the challenges facing the LGBTQIA+ community.
• Are empathetic in nature.
• Agree to uphold our values of being non-directive and non-judgemental.
• Can commit to volunteering for 6 hours every month/18 hours every quarter (3 months).

What are the next steps?

If you’d like to join our over 50s club, we would love to hear from you! The steps to apply for this voluntary role are:

• Click ‘Apply now’ and answer the 5 questions outlined in the application form to the best of your ability (please write a minimum of 100 words per answer!), and complete the demographic survey (we cannot progress your application without this).
• Complete an online assessment.
• Attend an information and interview session.
• Sign up for a CAT (core acceptance training) course.

Background checks:

Please note that as part of our safer recruitment process, we require all volunteers to complete a basic DBS check, as well as an address and identity check. Switchboard will cover the costs associated with these checks. We also require you to provide the details of one character referee as part of your application (this cannot be a family member or partner). All background checks must be completed by the time your initial onboarding/training has finished.

There is a sensitive application route available for trans applicants and we will work with you to ensure this process is as smooth as possible. Please let us know if this route is something you’d like to explore. For older members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have spent convictions on their records which are the result of outdated and discriminatory laws, we will work with you to have these removed from your records. If you have any questions about our background checks or would like to make us aware of any previous spent or unspent convictions ahead of time, please contact volunteering@switchboard.lgbt