To apply for our volunteering vacancies, please click the volunteer application pink button at the top or bottom of this page. For further information relating to our volunteering vacancies, please email [email protected]
For Mindline (Trans+) vacancies only, an application form and information pack are available by emailing [email protected]
Vanessa Project is looking for a volunteer to join in with their project.
Volunteer position available for Mind’s Vanessa Project on a Tuesday 11am-1pm (2 hours).
Applicant would assist with service users in gardening projects and have casual conversations. If the weather is bad, then indoor activities will be available including planning of gardening activities, colouring and nature related quizzes.
· Gardening Experience (not essential)
· Communication Skills
· Humour
· Willingness to help
· Positive attitude
· Compassion
· Lived experience
· Works well as part of a team
• Providing support to service users who have different capabilities to complete gardening activities.
• Talking to service users regarding a diverse range of subjects.
• Teamwork
• Gardening Skills
• Time Management
• Problem Solving
• Organisation
• Interpersonal Skills
As a Peer Volunteer you will be working alongside Senior staff and Crisis workers within Crisis Safe Space.
As a Peer Volunteer you will be working alongside Senior staff and Crisis workers within Crisis Safe Space. Crisis Safe Space was co-designed by local people with experience of mental health difficulties, who wanted to create more support in the community rather than at hospital or other clinical services. The service has been designed for people experiencing emotional distress who need immediate and short-term crisis prevention rather than intensive support from either an emergency or inpatient service. We do not seek to define what a crisis is for those using our service, we simply aim to offer the support required on a person-by-person basis. As an alliance member of Open Mental Health, we work in close partnership with Second Step, Somerset Foundation Trust and other OMH partners.
Bringing your lived experience, you will have the desire to support and encourage others on their individual recovery journeys. You will be able to clearly draw upon and share, your own experiences of mental health challenges and services in order to inspire, model, and inform others in similar situations and support them in finding their own path to recovery.
You will be providing a specially designed role within the Crisis Safe Space Team in Yeovil & Taunton. As part of the wider team, you will start to build a trusting relationship with individuals while they are accessing the Crisis Safe Space and your role will be to meet and greet, assist with any enrolment/paperwork, and offer support with signposting and feedback. You will work alongside the Crisis Safe Space Team, meaning you will have access to constant support and guidance.
To identify additional community-based support networks and implementing group-based peer support events for users of the service.
We are looking for Peer Volunteers who have:
The Crisis safe Space is an out of hours service open daily between the hours of 17:30 and 23:00. We welcome applications to those who can commit to a minimum of 1 shift per week.
Prior to starting your volunteer position, you will complete a comprehensive training programme with our partner agency, Watch CIC, who are specialists in developing Peer Volunteer relations.
Once in role, you will be supported by both the Deputy to the Project Lead the Project Lead who will provide support as and when needed, alongside your colleagues on shift.
To support the facilitation of groups for individuals who experience auditory and other hallucinations.
Main Purpose of role: Assist with the weekly Hearing voices group
Key Tasks:
To support the facilitation of groups for individuals who experience auditory and other hallucinations. This will involve delivering creative, engaging and inclusive group and activity support work that encourages and enables people to improve/maintain their mental wellbeing.
· To support service-users in accessing the group support offer.
· To encourage peer support within the group.
· To adhere to our inclusive way of working and support a diverse group of individuals. This will include supporting younger and older adults.
· To enable service-users to have access to information and signposting to other areas of support.
· To engage fully with the values and community of Mind in Somerset.
· To attend regular one-to-one supervision with your line manager.
To work in an inclusive and culturally sensitive way for all service-users; being responsive to individual needs and challenging stigma and discrimination.
To take prompt and appropriate action in a safeguarding situation. To clearly record all information and actions taken and to escalate to the Group Facilitator and Safeguarding Lead as per procedure.
To follow Health & Safety and Security procedures.
To cover leave and absences where required.
Essential:
Positive team-working skills
Flexible approach
Willingness to learn (including independently) to extend their knowledge
Understanding of the need for good record keeping and GDPR
Good non judgmental listening skills
Experience working with people in mental health
Youth Matters volunteers help to facilitate our weekly peer support groups for young people.
Youth Matters volunteers help to facilitate our weekly peer support groups for young people.
This voluntary role will help you to develop your skills and experience whilst supporting young people in a group environment. You will be provided with appropriate training for the role. Applications are encouraged from people who have lived experience of mental health difficulties or from those who have an understanding of what mental health difficulties may mean for others.
An ability to listen and demonstrate empathy is essential for this voluntary role. Some experience of working with children and young people in a voluntary or paid capacity is desired.
We ask that volunteers commit to a minimum of 6-months with Mind in Somerset to ensure consistency for the young people who we support. We also ask that you can offer at least 2.5 hours of support every week at a regular time. Although we are currently recruiting for the above groups, please get in touch if you are interested in supporting one of our other groups as we always welcome volunteers.
Frome group Monday 5pm-6.30pm
Shepton Mallet group Wednesday 3.30pm-5pm
For an application form and information pack for this role, please email [email protected]
Mindline Somerset is an Emotional Support Helpline. Well established since 2001 we are looking for more volunteers to help run our 24/7 service.
This role will involve supporting people in emotional distress or needing somebody to talk to. This opportunity is ideal for those wanting to improve their listening skills. All training provided including mental health awareness and telephone listening. Gain personal satisfaction and a sense of achievement by experiencing the diversity of telephone support. Applications are encouraged from people who have had experience of mental distress or have an understanding of what mental distress may mean for others.
This role will involve supporting people in emotional distress or needing somebody to talk to. This role requires you to commit to supporting the line four evenings a month (8pm-11pm) and attending our monthly group supervision.
Mindline call handlers will have the opportunity to volunteer for our Mindline Trans + helpline as a progression opportunity. You will need to attend Trans Awareness training. You will be offering emotional support to transgender people, their family and friends. Mindline Trans+ operates every Friday 8pm – 11pm. Minimum commitment for Mindline Trans+ 2 x 3hr shifts per month.
Essential:
PC / Laptop with good internet connection
Positive team-working skills
Flexible approach
Demonstrable IT knowledge/experience using Microsoft Packages
Willingness to learn (including independently) to extend their knowledge
Desirable:
Understanding of the need for good record keeping and GDPR
It’s simple… using your time to give something back feels amazing. Whether you can give minutes, hours, or days, our volunteer roles are designed to fit around your available time. These small deeds really can make a huge difference to people’s lives – including yours!
People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. For some it offers the chance to give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around them. For others it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge. Regardless of the motivation, what unites them all is that they find it both challenging and rewarding.
You’ll have the chance to meet some great people who are passionate about the same things as you, as each and every one of our volunteers play an important part in supporting mental health.
Comprehensive induction programme
Line Manager supervisions
Essential training courses and training to support ongoing CPD
Opportunity to learn new skills whilst supporting others
Access to discount shopping platforms
Meet new people and broaden your horizons
Enhance your CV to support a route in employment
Fully funded DBS
Mind in Somerset have the expectation that all who Volunteer for us always live our organisations Values, we ask that you be:
Collaborative – work better together
Respectful – treat people how we like to be treated
Accountable – are responsible for own actions
Inclusive – respect everyone’s uniqueness
Compassionate – empathise, care and support
Once we have received your volunteering application we will contact you by email to advise if you have been selected for an interview. We provide the opportunity for candidates to view the interview questions in advance of the interview on request. Please email [email protected]
Interviews will be conducted remotely via a teams’ meeting and will be of an informal, get to know you nature. Should you wish to be interviewed via another method, please make this known to us and we are happy to accommodate your needs where possible. We will always provide an outcome after your interview.
Due to the safeguarding nature of our work, the successful candidate/volunteer may need to complete a disclosure and barring check (DBS) prior to starting with us. A criminal record will not automatically mean withdrawal of an offer, however, to safeguard our staff, volunteers and clients, further discussion or investigation may be required so that an informed decision can be made as to your suitability to work with vulnerable people to ensure that we are not putting service users at risk. For Volunteers there are occasions when a DBS will not be required, however a risk assessment will be conducted, and the form completed and placed within the Volunteer’s electronic file.
We will also require you to provide the names and contact details for two referees who we can approach for references as part of the recruitment process.
All new volunteers will be required to complete 5 essential online training courses as part of their induction into the Charity. Dependant on the type of volunteer role undertaken, additional training may be also required to meet service expectations.
Mind in Somerset is fully committed to the principle of equal opportunities in employment and opposes all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination, direct or indirect. All employees and volunteers are expected to promote and work fully in line with the company’s Equal Opportunities Policy. Mind in Somerset is a Disability Confident employer and welcomes applications from disabled people. If disabled applicants meet the minimum criteria for the job, they can request and will be offered a guaranteed interview. Should applicants require reasonable adjustment support for the application or interview process, please contact us at: [email protected]
Our Emotional support and mental health helpline is now available as a live webchat !
Available every day from 8-11pm.
