Likely to be an older adult 👵 Although we do not have any age restrictions on who we help here at onHand (we're happy to help anyone who needs a hand or an ear to listen) the majority of individuals looking for a friendly phone call are older adults, with an average age of 65.

From near or far 🇬🇧 The person you're calling could well be someone living on the next street over, or they could be from the other side of the UK! You'll encounter all different types of accents and stories from their local areas.

Possibly hard of hearing 🦻 Due to the demographic of people looking for a call, they may be hard of hearing. If this is not mentioned on the person's request, it will become apparent very quickly! So remember to speak loudly and clearly if this is the case!

May be forgetful❓ They may need their memory jogging a little with a reminder about who onHand are, but they still may not always remember! Especially if their request for help has been on the app for a little while (but more on that in a second👇)

Be prepared! Make sure you're in an area where you won't be interrupted and can hear the phone properly. Make sure your phone is charged!

Simply click the number in the app to call. 141 will be added so that your number is not displayed to the person you are calling. This ensures that, if you help lots of people, they don't all start calling you directly. (If 141 doesn't work with your network provider, simply change the settings on your phone)

You can say something along the lines of “Hello is that *name of resident*? My name is *your name*. I’m a volunteer with onHand.”

Occasionally the person you're helping might not remember or know who onHand are, despite having spoken to us before (we call every single person who is referred to us before their request is put on the app). You might want to remind them that they were referred to onHand, the volunteering service, by someone who thought they could do with a phone call and a chat every now and then. (If their referrer organisation such as the Red Cross or Age UK is listed on their request, you could refer to that too)

Set time expectations if you need to dash! If you only have a certain amount of time that you're able to chat for, it can be helpful to set this expectation at the beginning of the call. You could say something like "I have to get back to work at 1:30 pm, so I'd love to chat with you for 20 minutes if that's okay?"

Don't be afraid to let them know that the radio/tv is too loud if you can't hear them!

The weather! (It might seem a bit naff but it really can be a good start to a conversation, everyone has an opinion on the weather!)

Where they live, if they like it there and how long they've lived there (and the same goes for you too!)

Where you/they grew up

What they do/did for a living

What they've been watching on the TV / what they do for fun

Family (family can sometimes be a tricky subject for people to talk about so it's often better to wait for the person you're speaking to to bring that up. If you're both comfortable talking about your family and home life then go for it.)

Some people are listeners rather than talkers, so don't feel bad if you end up talking about yourself a bit. It's a two-way street so the person you're calling will surely appreciate you opening up, and it often is a great way to make someone else feel like they can do the same.

Let them cry. They are sharing a vulnerable moment with you, allow them to express what needs to be expressed without telling them how to feel. Avoid telling them to stop crying or that whatever they are crying about isn’t worth their tears. Emotions when vented are better than if they are stored inside

Don’t jump to creating solutions. If the person is crying and upset about a situation, don’t try to immediately solve the problem for them. It’s more important for you to do less talking and more listening. Their crying is a way to express their emotions. Let them do so without interfering.

Don’t try to turn the conversation instantly positive. It’s a natural tendency to want to help the person feel better by having them look at the positive side. However, when you do that, they may feel like you are glossing over what’s wrong and they may feel like their feelings aren’t important.

Ask what they need. Don’t assume you know what they want. Asking what they want and need puts the other person in control and gives you the opportunity to listen and respond. Whatever they ask for or need, respect what they say.

Acknowledge your helplessness: For example, you could say, “I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I don’t really know what to say to make it better, and I know no words really could. But I want you to know that I’m here for you when you need me”.