listening support team

The Listening Support Team provides a safe, welcoming space for individuals to share their thoughts, experiences, and challenges. This role focuses on helping people feel heard and understood—particularly those who may not have other Christians to talk to—while offering appropriate support and signposting to further help where needed.

This role is important in helping people feel heard and valued by giving them time, attention, and compassionate listening, and by guiding them towards appropriate support where necessary. Volunteers in this role are creating a place for people to talk about life and faith in a safe space.

Someone who is…

• A compassionate and attentive listener.
• Comfortable meeting and engaging with new people.
• Ability to listen without feeling the need to fix or solve problems.
• Confident and sensitive in offering prayer.
• Organised and dependable in arranging and attending meetings.
• Awareness of appropriate support pathways and ability to signpost effectively.

This role requires a commitment to confidentiality, empathy, and appropriate boundaries, ensuring that every individual is treated with dignity, care, and respect.

• Arrange to meet individuals at a mutually agreed time and place, ideally in a public setting such as FBC.
• Be punctual, organised, and reliable in attending meetings.
• Ensure all meetings are conducted in a safe and appropriate environment.
• Manage expectations from the start with clear communication, you will meet with them initially three times (or less). If they need more support beyond that then contact the pastoral care lead. 
• Offer attentive, non-judgemental listening, allowing the individual to share fully.
• Create a safe and supportive space where the person feels comfortable to talk.
• Avoid interrupting or directing the conversation unnecessarily.
• Offer to pray with or for the individual where appropriate and with sensitivity. (You could go into the FBC prayer room if more privacy is needed but leave the door open)
• Recognise when additional support may be beneficial and gently signpost to relevant options (e.g. connect groups, FBC courses, mentoring, external organisations, or counselling). There is a signposting sheet for the pastoral care team to refer to. 
• Record brief, confidential notes in line with data protection and safeguarding policies.
• Follow safeguarding procedures if there are concerns that the individual may be at risk.
• Share relevant information with the pastoral care lead where necessary.
• Complete the FBC Safeguarding training.
• Attend the Listening skills and prayer ministry training.
• Attend the understanding and maintaining healthy boundaries training.
• Be available for ongoing supervision and support from the pastoral care lead.