Roving Listeners support individuals and communities to build community capacity, be more inclusive, achieve positive social outcomes for people and influence changes in our often unsympathetic systems.
The role of a Roving Listener is to help build better communities through the inclusion of people experiencing vulnerability in our society.
The common factor is that people in these groups are often marginalised in a way that can make it more difficult to interact with the broader community. They may have special needs that could make life harder, if neglected.
A Roving Listener needs to think about what vulnerability actually means in each context.
Disability activist, Michael Kendrick, when talking about the valued social roles of people experiencing vulnerability, says that people’s quality of life improves,
“When people are known by name, and know others by name and their contribution is
valued, acknowledged & supported.” (2005)
As a member of the Jeder Institute, the Roving Listener works both autonomously and in a team and they also benefit and contribute to the development and ongoing growth of the organisation.