Peer Support Volunteer

Your volunteer role description provides an outline of the tasks you will complete when volunteering.
Whatever your role, or however much time you donate, you will be helping to improve the lives of people severely affected by mental illness. We appreciate and value your commitment to volunteering with Rethink Mental Illness.

Role title:

Role details

Peer Support Volunteer

Where the role is based

In the community

You will be supported by

Volunteering Coordinator

Level of DBS check

Enhanced with Adults

Service details

Service

Empowering Minds Gloucestershire

Location of the service

Gloucestershire

Days and times volunteering is available

Monday – Friday, 9–5pm, with a possible weekend as required

Service code

6751

The purpose of your role

As a Peer Support Volunteer, you will play a key role in supporting and co-facilitating our peer support groups. These groups run all around the county throughout the week.
There is flexibility with volunteering opportunities ranging from a minimum of 2-3 hours weekly to monthly commitments.
There may also be the opportunity to attend different community events to advertise our service.
You will work alongside our team of peer support workers and other peer support volunteers.
There will be full training opportunities to ensure that you are successful in your volunteering role, as well as regular check-in meetings.

The service you support

Empowering Minds is a Gloucestershire-based service for people aged 18+ with a mental illness and live in Gloucestershire or are registered with a Gloucestershire GP. We support individuals in all six localities: Forest of Dean, Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud and the Cotswolds.

You will complete the following tasks

• Support the peer support workers and other peer volunteers to run the group sessions.
• Create a safe space for people to share as much or as little as they want.
• Signpost people to different services when necessary.
• Collaborate with other volunteers and members of staff to support the delivery of group activities.

Necessary skills, experience, and attitude

It’s essentials to have the following:

• Lived experience with mental illness, whether that is caring for someone else or yourself.
• Reliability and good timekeeping.
• An excellent ability to emphasise with others and be non-judgemental.
• Have a good understanding of confidentiality.

Although it’s not essential, you may also have:

• Basic computer skills.
• Knowledge of the local area and organisations.