Volunteering as an online friend
Anyone can experience loneliness regardless of age, gender or cultural background. Loneliness can be caused by factors such as changes in the person’s life situation or distance from loved ones. Issues such as mental health challenges, various limitations to functional capacity or nervousness in social situations often make creating and maintaining relationships challenging.
The online friend activities of the Red Cross bring a trained volunteer together with a lonely person as friends. The friends then engage in one-on-one, anonymous conversations, e.g. via email or an instant messaging application. The ages of volunteers and clients taking part range roughly from 15 to 80 years.
How can I become a volunteer online friend?
You can become a volunteer online friend by completing the friend course and the Online helper at the Finnish Red Cross self-study course. The duration of the friend course is three hours, and you can take part in the course either online or in person. The friend course gives you basic information about volunteering as a friend. You will also gain insight into loneliness and how friend visitor activities can help alleviate loneliness.
The Online helper at the Finnish Red Cross self-study course (2 h) provides readiness for interacting with people online. The course will also present various forms of online help at the Red Cross and discuss challenging situations from the perspective of online helping.
Who can become a volunteer online friend?
Online friend activities are suitable for volunteers who would like to support those who need a friend in different situations in life. It would be good if writing is a natural way for the volunteer to express themselves. The person looking to become a helper should preferably have their own life situation in order, as the people requesting a friend may be in a very challenging life situation and their messages can be emotionally taxing at times. As a volunteer, you will be supported by the online friend service. We will also organise peer-to-peer discussions and support meetings for online volunteers on a regular basis. Our wish is that our volunteers commit to the activities for at least six months.
