Re: This is a good idea!
Funny you should say about this Tess, as just today I was talking to somebody about volunteering for a 'Befriender' service locally.
I was going to do this several years back, then had a big problem at home and had to ring and cancel the interview, then never got back to it.
The charity are now advertising again for voluntary befrienders.
I think I would prefer to visit and chat and give a hand, rather than talk on the phone to someone. You get training about visiting alone etc, and not put yourself at risk.
If you think you might like it, I would say explore further before you make a final decision. You might enjoy it and if it helps someone, that can only be good.