Some callers have limited social or family connections, while others want to confide in people outside of their regular social circles
program, she was immediately interested in using the service. The national program pairs trained Red Cross volunteers with adults seeking conversation for what are typically weekly phone calls. The calls are informal, can range from 20 minutes to an hour, and the volunteer can connect the person to community-based supports, such as mental-health resources, as needed.
“We share our stories, our learnings, the things that life is teaching us,” Ms. Youngchief said. “She’s in her 20s, so I get a youthful perspective. She’s such a kind and gentle person. She tells me that I’m still valuable, and I believe her because the things that I say that are important to her, she lets me know. She’s become like a granddaughter to me.”
In the two years since, Mr. Dubeau has connected with three people, talking about everything from the pandemic, to the rising cost of gas and groceries, to holiday plans. He said the most memorable conversations are about developments not in the world, but in the person on the other end of the line. “He said this was outside of his normal behaviour, and it was something he was really happy to be doing because he felt something had been missing in his life. He attributed our conversations to the fact that he was able to make these social connections, and it really touched me to be a part of that.”
Since May, 2020, the program has facilitated 70,000 contacts by 873 volunteers, providing more than 1.7 million minutes of conversation nationally, Ms. Croggon said. That includes about 2,500 contacts by 118 volunteers and more than 100,000 minutes of support in B.C., which joined the program in May, 2021.
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