Call & Care and Call5
A new initiative has been launched by Christian broadcasters, Premier, called Premier Lifeline: the National Christian Helpline, Call and Care. It has received funding from the UK Government Coronavirus Emergency Fund through the Community Fund.
A news release explains more about how Call and Care can help in serving your community:
Call and Care is a project for churches, organisations and community groups to reach out and support people in their communities by equipping and training local volunteers to make contact by telephone.
Identified need – Many people in our society today are isolated and lonely. The number of people and the intensity of isolation have been exacerbated by the circumstances surrounding the pandemic and varying stages of lockdown. Many do not have access to, or experience of, using online solutions, but almost everyone has a telephone.
Vision – That all those who are isolated are provided with the opportunity of receiving a regular contact.
Mission – To encourage people to make contact with and support those who are isolated by means of the telephone (and other appropriate media), through organised local Call and Care Teams delivered by Community Groups (churches and other organisations).
Implementation – The local Community Group identifies a coordinator/core group and a team of call-makers, who will work under their leadership to call out to an identified list of people on a regular basis to check-in with them and be there for them.
Training – Call and Care provides the online resources – free video training consisting of twelve short videos with written transcripts to help prepare the call-makers for their role.
It is a way to offer supportive pastoral care at a time when meeting together is severely restricted and to keep in touch with the members of the community, thereby reinforcing a sense of belonging and increasing well-being.
Call and Care video course
1. Welcome and Introduction
2. It’s Good to Talk
3. Three Levels of Support
4. First Steps… to Setting up a Team
5. Search for a Good Listener
6. Whose call is it Anyway?
7. Do not take you own Agenda
8. Living at a Time of Intense Fear
9. Maintaining Well-being in a Challenging World
10. Looking after Yourself
11. Keeping Prayer Simple
12. Finding Faith in Uncertainty
For information, to view the free videos and to sign-up please go to callandcare.org.uk
In addition, they say, we have launched Call5, a campaign to encourage everyone and take action to use the telephone to contact those who might be in need of someone to talk to.
Plus… Call5
Premier is also looking to individuals to be part of Call5 – a simple scheme where they sign up and commit to call five people they know.
'The last year has been difficult for many,' writes Jonathan Clark, Director for Premier Lifeline, 'with considerable isolation and loneliness experienced across the country, as well as a significant rise in people experiencing mental health issues.
'The vaccine brings hope that the end is in sight, but it is not here yet, and we are facing the coming months with continued restrictions, when even in a normal year people are affected by the cold, the darkness and limitations to activity. This year these will all be exacerbated by the continued pandemic.
'We want to encourage everyone to consider who they know from their friends, family and community who would welcome a telephone call, a friendly voice and someone to talk to during this challenging time. Just that sense of company is so important to someone who is feeling isolation. It really helps to feel remembered.
'We are asking everyone to choose five people – from their friends, family, and other contacts - and to commit to call them over the coming months to ensure they know someone is there for them. Although this is primarily a telephone-based project, it also includes contact through Skype, FaceTime, text, email or whatever the preferred contact method is for the people involved.
'Why “Call5”? We have five digits on each hand – looking at our hands is an easy reminder to call, by allocating a person to each digit. For the enthusiastic, there is always a second hand to use to identify five more people to call!
'Through Call5, we aim to encourage increased contact across the country, a significant reduction in isolation and loneliness, and an increased sense of belonging to a wider family and community.
'Would you like to be a part of the Call5 movement? For information and to sign up for Call5, please go to call5.co.uk.'
Comments