Community development worker bme mental health volunteer roles

Role Description: 

This role sits within our new Coproduction and Transformation Project

The role of the Co-Production Volunteer is central to the success of the Co-Production and Transformation and Engagement Project. Volunteers bring lived experience, local knowledge, and critical perspectives to support the redesign of mental health services, so they are inclusive, accessible, and rooted in the real needs of those who use them.

This role exists to ensure that service users, carers, and community members have a meaningful voice in shaping decisions that affect care delivery. Volunteers will work alongside professionals, clinical teams, and other stakeholders to challenge assumptions, identify gaps, highlight strengths, and co-create improvements. Whether drawing from personal experiences of mental health challenges, supporting someone through the system, or working in the community, volunteers act as equal partners in transformation. They help build bridges between professionals and service users, promote accountability, and encourage a culture of openness and innovation.

Through structured engagement such as workshops, advisory groups, feedback panels, and co-design activities, the Co-Production Volunteers will contribute to the long-term sustainability and responsiveness of mental health services. Their insights help ensure that care is not only clinically effective but also emotionally safe, culturally sensitive, and aligned with what matters most to the people it serves.

Main Tasks

· Attend monthly co-production workshops, steering groups, or feedback sessions

· Share personal and/or collective experiences to inform service transformation

· Provide administrative support- send and respond to emails, input information on our database

· Review materials and provide feedback (e.g., policies, pathways, information leaflets)

· Participate in recruitment panels, focus groups, and pilot testing where appropriate

· Help create accessible, inclusive spaces that welcome diverse voices

· Promote equality, dignity, and psychological safety within meetings

· Support evaluation activities and co-authoring of reports or recommendations

· Uphold HFEH Mind values and behaviours

We are looking for someone who:

· Has lived experience of mental health challenges

· Good communicator

· Passionate about improving NHS West London Mental Health services

· Are a non-judgmental and friendly individual 

· Lived experience of mental health services (personal or as a carer/family member/community member)

· A commitment to improving mental health care and reducing stigma

· Willingness to share personal insights in a respectful and constructive way

· Openness to listen and engage with others from diverse backgrounds

· Ability to attend meetings and participate reliably (online or in person)

· Basic communication and interpersonal skills (speaking, listening, expressing views)

· Comfortable working as part of a group, including with professionals and other volunteers

· Respect for confidentiality and group boundaries

· Ability to reflect, ask questions, and provide feedback on ideas, documents or processes

· Interest in learning about co-production, service transformation or health improvement

· Respect for inclusion, anti-discrimination, and safeguarding practices

· Willingness to learn digital tools (such as Zoom or MS Teams) with support if needed

· An understanding of the local community context and the challenges people may face accessing care

Those from or have an interest in:

• Black and Minority Ethnic Communities
• Civic Responsibility and Communities
• Disability
• Employment, Education and Training
• Health and Social Care
• Homeless and Housing

What's in it for the Coproduction Volunteer? 

Joining our Service User Network is a fantastic opportunity to get involved with a nationally recognized charity, whilst supporting positive changes within the NHS West London Trust. We provide initial and ongoing training, as well as plenty of opportunities for progression within the organization. You will also be a part of a supportive team with great awareness of wellbeing and the mental health sector.