What does a Companion do?
- Listen actively as you walk with our neighbors in crisis
- Discern which community resource and partners can help
- Triage the situation by listening to their story and determining gaps in neighbors' stability
- Decide a pathway forward with our neighbor and how they can make connections to community resources and move toward sustainability and stability.
How does one learn how to be a Companion?
We have our new volunteers begin by attending a shift or two and simply observing. Then, we connect new volunteers with an established companion whom they will shadow for several shifts until the new volunteer feels ready to take the lead with neighbors. We work collaboratively, so no companion ever flies completely solo.
