Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care

SCCCC Good Neighbour Scheme has helped the older people in our local community since 1965. We aim to enhance quality of life through volunteers who offer the kind of support a ‘Good Neighbour’ might give. The service is provided free of charge with the basic aim of helping to combat isolation and loneliness for people over 65 living in Sheffield.

Regular or occasional friendly (social) visits
A volunteer (or in some cases, a staff member) will go to a client’s home for a chat and possibly a cup of tea (if appropriate and safe to do so). This role includes no personal or practical support but focuses on one-to-one companionship and social support in the client's own home. Volunteers visit for an hour weekly or fortnightly and usually support someone living in their own community. This service is available to Sheffield residents who are aged 65 years and older.

Telephone support
We offer regular, friendly support over the telephone for older people who may prefer this to face to face visits and we also offer telephone support to clients who are waiting to be matched with a volunteer.

Pen pal Scheme
We started our Pen pal scheme in March 2020 just as the first lockdown came. It allowed us to keep in touch with our hearing-impaired clients who we were unable to support by telephone, but also to send happy post to the older people of Sheffield. Kind volunteers send in varied and brilliant items such as cards, postcards, poetry, pictures and letters so that every client can receive something to enjoy – even if they are unable/don't want to reply.

For those clients who do enjoy writing, they can write back to the volunteers in a safe way, so we can ensure that everything passing through is appropriate and has no sensitive information on, to keep everyone safe. It's brilliant too because people of any age can get involved and volunteer!

Other services we offer also include:
Escorting to hospital appointments
Re-arranging furniture to enable greater mobility.
Occasional sitting to give a carer time to attend an appointment
Short term holiday checks

Information for volunteers

For over 55 years, the SCCCC Good Neighbour Scheme has been helping older, Sheffield people when they need it the most. Our aim is to enhance quality of life for people who have found themselves lonely and isolated and we do this with our team of over 180 dedicated and caring volunteers.

Our main service is face to face befriending in the client's home. No personal care or practical tasks, just putting the world to rights and having a chat and cuppa with the focus being on companionship. It's a great opportunity to give something back to your local community and support someone who will really appreciate it, but you can also learn new skills, develop wonderful friendships, hear the most interesting stories, and learn about Sheffield in times gone by. We also offer telephone support, so if chatting over the phone is much more your cup of tea, we need you too!

We ask that volunteers donate an hour per week (ideally) to spend that time visiting or chatting to an older person. We aim to match clients up a volunteer who will be their dedicated, regular support. As a volunteer, you will be given a full induction, training and will have the support of your own Good Neighbour Scheme Coordinator, who will support you throughout your volunteering journey and will always been on hand if you need them.

We also run a very well loved Pen pal scheme. If you would like to volunteer but are unable to commit to regular support this may be the perfect way to support older people. You can send letters, cards or pictures for us to send on - as and when you are able to spare the time.