About the role
Purpose of the role
The purpose of this volunteer role is to enrich the lives of residents and clients by providing safe, calming and meaningful interactions with a friendly, well-behaved animal companion. As a Paw-sitive Companion, you and your pet will help create moments of comfort, connection and companionship.
Key responsibilities
- Share calm, friendly interactions between your pet and residents, creating moments of comfort, joy, and emotional connection.
- Support residents to engage safely with your pet, ensuring interactions match their preferences and abilities.
- Create a warm, relaxed atmosphere during visits, helping residents feel at ease, included, and uplifted.
- Encourage gentle conversation and reminiscence, using your pet as a bridge to spark stories, smiles, and positive memories.
- Observe residents’ responses and adapt the interaction, ensuring each visit feels respectful, safe, and meaningful.
Personal skills and qualities
- Reliability, consistency and commitment
- Ability to build genuine connections with older people
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Time commitment
- Whether you can offer one hour a week or one hour a month, your time helps create moments that matter for our residents
- Flexible time and commitment
Benefits
- Be a valuable part of our volunteer team and receive ongoing support throughout your volunteering
- Enjoy exclusive Whiddon perks, including discounts and special offers
- Receive recognition through our Everyday Heroes Program, milestone awards and many other volunteer appreciation initiatives
- Access to confidential support via Employee Assistance Program