Mental Health Volunteer Roles

Do you want to make a difference to the lives of local people with mental health conditions? We are looking  a Trustee who can think strategically and complement the existing Board.

Mental Health Resource is a well-established, independent charity based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. We are passionate about improving mental wellbeing in our community, and aim to do this by enabling people to feel supported and valued, providing opportunities for social connections and by raising awareness of mental health. We deliver high quality and effective services across West Kent providing safe spaces and person-centred mental health support.

We provide comprehensive services with both a focus on short term and long-term mental health support, enabling people to access our projects for as longs as they want or need support. Our beneficiaries have complex and enduring mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, self-harming, psychosis, schizophrenia and bi-polar and, on average, we work with over 900 adults and young people each year.  

About the Trustee roles

You would be working with other trustees who have different skills, knowledge and experience. It's an interesting role in which you can help formulate ideas about how we as an organisation can best address the challenges and opportunities that exist in an increasingly complex and changing environment.

We would love to hear from you if you have a true interest in helping to improve the lives of those with mental health conditions in our community, and especially if you have skills or experience in working in a charity or in finance. No experience of being a trustee is necessary.

You would be expected to attend and participate in six Board meetings per year which are held via Teams/Zoom and last 2-3 hrs. The Board is also supported by two sub-committees: Finance and Risk and Marketing and Fundraising, which meet four times a year, and trustees are encouraged to also be a member of one of the sub-committees.

The Integrated Community Support (ICS) service provides day service opportunities for people with low and medium Preventative Care Needs.

We are currently looking to offer volunteering placements with our Mental Health Recovery Pathway (MHRP) – a mental health provision based across three sites in Islington responding to the mental health needs of Islington residents.

You will be assisting service users who experience mental distress in group settings.

We ask for a commitment of at least 1 day a week 10:15am – 4:00pm for a full year (+ about 2-3 months for DBS check and induction), though there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer more than one day a week.

If this sounds interesting and suitable to you, please complete the ICS volunteer application form and return with your CV, indicating why are you interested in volunteering for Islington Mind, if there is anything specific that you would like to do in your volunteering placement – e.g. facilitate activities, support our open access drop-in sessions, support service users with completing forms, accompany service users to appointments etc, and your availability – e.g. one or more days a week and which days of the week you are available.

The Structured Intervention Support (SIS) service offers support for people with high and complex needs.

You will be assisting service users who experience mental distress in one-to-one settings:
-help to resettle in the community on discharge from hospital
-help to develop strategies to improve their quality of life and reduce their dependence on statutory services
-provide personalised key work support to enable people with complex mental health needs progress and maintain independent living.

We are looking for volunteers who can support people with activities for a minimum of 1 day per week. Activities such as:

-Escorting people to appointments/outings/activities or events
-Organisational and administrative tasks – help with budgeting; understanding/applying for welfare benefits; letter writing and form filling; arranging activities/appointments; planning the use of other services such as shopping.
-Supporting people to maintain their homes – reporting/organising repairs; organising a move; signposting and referring to services and activities.
-Ad-hoc support

Men Who Talk is a UK registered charity, running twice weekly online peer-to-peer support groups for men aged 18+ across the UK. The groups take place between 7:00pm - 8:30pm every Wednesday evening, and 11:00am - 12:30pm every Saturday morning. 

Our groups are supportive spaces for men aged 18+ to come and talk openly about what's on their mind. All groups are free to attend and follow the evidence based model of peer support. 

Volunteers are required to be online from 6:45pm to 8:45pm on a Wednesday evening, and from 10:45am - 12:45pm on a Saturday, and are required to facilitate around 1 group per month. Volunteers are asked to commit to an a minimum of 6 months of volunteering in the initial stage. 

All groups are facilitated by 2 facilitators, and follow a semi-structured pattern.

We are looking for passionate men with some experience of groups facilitating or working in mental health settings to come join us as facilitators. Experience in using online platforms such as zoom is essential. 

A degree in psychology is preferred but not an essential requirement.

Why Join MWT? 

Men Who Talk is an exciting, fast growing charity, creating new spaces for men to talk openly about what's on their mind. 

We have a diverse team full of talented and passionate individuals who are committed to changing the face of mens mental health across the UK. 

As well as the opportunity to join the organisation at an exciting stage of it's development, volunteers also have the opportunity to develop their own skills and have regular chances to feed into the creative and strategic development of the organisation. We also provide enhanced safeguarding adults training, and the opportunity to develop key skills to enhance a career in mental health. 

PLEASE NOTE: We are only able to accept applications from individuals who already have the right to live and work in the UK. 

We’re looking for trustees

We’re looking to recruit dynamic, committed and motivated people with professional skills and experience who are as passionate as we are about empowering individuals to work through and beyond their experience of sexual abuse.

Specific qualifications are not necessarily required and we welcome applicants with lived experience. A genuine interest in learning about our charity and our services within the local community is essential.

These trustees will help to form a new board dedicated to supporting the charity and contributing to the effective and quality governance of Trust House. You will play an active role in developing the strategic direction of the charity and provide guidance to ensure the charity continues to support anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse in the Thames Valley area.

A Little Bit of Sunshine UK (ALBOS UK) is seeking to recruit Policy and Campaigns volunteers to support the charity at an important point in its development, its second year of operation, supporting young people to be at the heart of decision making in support services. 

We expect everyone who is part of our organisation to be committed to our values and share our ambition to become a more diverse and inclusive charity. Our vision, mission and values can be found on our website.

What we do

We work closely with young people and communities to shape a future where every young person can access mental health support, feel connected, and live without stigma.

Our policy and influencing work aims to create lasting change by addressing systemic barriers to youth mental health care. We advocate for policies that prioritise mental health, ensure adequate funding, and promote accessibility. 

About the role

As a Policy and Campaigns Volunteer, you will play a key role in supporting our efforts to influence policy, raise awareness, and advocate for improved mental health services for young people. You will work closely with our Policy and Campaigns team to help shape and deliver impactful campaigns and contribute to policy development aimed at creating lasting change.

We are looking for dynamic volunteers who will help us to advocate for change, and work collaboratively with other Policy Volunteers and across the wider charity, to plan, create, and roll out policy and campaigns.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in research, analysis and drafting of policy papers, briefing notes, and reports related to mental health issues affecting young people.

• Support the development and creation of campaigns that raise awareness and push for reforms in mental health services

• Monitor relevant policy developments, governmental reports, and key discussions within the mental health sector.

• Help with the development of training materials or toolkits for volunteers and supporters to increase awareness and engagement around mental health policy.

• Attend and contribute to team meetings and brainstorming sessions for campaign strategies and policy priorities.

• Contribute to the drafting of letters, petitions, and policy submissions aimed at influencing decision makers.

• Engage with young people to ensure their voices are heard and included in policy recommendations and campaign efforts.

If you would like to expand your skills in policy work and campaigning and can commit to volunteering 4–6 hours per week, then we would love to hear from you. 

If you would like to have an informal conversation with a member of our team please get in touch with us [email address in Role Description].

Closing date:  14/10/2024 at 10am

Informal interviews will be held as and when suitable applicants apply, but all applications before the closure of the advert will be reviewed. 

Please note that you must be 16 or over and be willing to undergo the DBS process to be appointed to this volunteer role.

Music in Mind Powered by Manchester Camerata working with Stockport and District Mind.

A Music Champion is a volunteer programme that combines face to face and online training to use the proven therapeutic power of music as part of dementia care without any prior music experience.

You will train with staff and musicians in a community group setting as well as on line support and training.

At the end of the training a Music Champion will have the skills and confidence to help facilitate music sessions in their own community groups such as Care homes, day centres etc. If you think you can make a difference, you can spare half a day each week, and you are passionate about music please get in touch.

Requirements- Patient nature.

Friendly.

Happy to be in a group situation.

Good communication skills.

Will need a D.B.S. check

*THIS IS A VOLUNTEER ROLE*

**Please only apply if you are available to volunteer in Southwark every Thursday 09:30-12:30**

About the Role

We are looking for a sunny, dedicated person to support our regular Thursday morning Writing For Wellbeing group at the Southwark Wellbeing Hub. This is a hybrid group which can include up to 8 people attending in person and up to 5 people attending online. The Workshop Assistant will support the Workshop Facilitator to manage the room, ensuring everyone has the support they need and that the online participants feel included in the group.

The role will include the following:

- Helping to set up the tea and coffee station before the workshop, making drinks for participants during the workshop, and helping to break down the station at the end of the workshop

- Managing the Zoom room (letting in participants, responding to people in the chat, sending writing prompts to each participant in the chat, sharing the screen for visual prompts)

- Offering support to participants that need additional guidance or confidence building, if the Workshop Facilitator is already helping someone else

The workshops are very lively and a lot of fun. We encourage discussion, self-expression and lots of laughter. As the Workshop Assistant you will be able to join in with the group and the activities each week so you can unlock your own creativity too.

There is no experience necessary to join our team, but you will need to be confident using basic technology and ready to support and encourange a range of people with varying needs and abilities.

**When you apply, please include a short note on why you would like to volunteer in this role**

About Us

In a Wordsmiths' Writing For Wellbeing Workshop, attendees are guided through structured writing activities and games to enable them to create and share a mixture of fictional and true stories based on their own experiences. All exercises are designed to guide the attendees to focus on memories associated with positive emotions but the prompts are always subjective enough that no-one will struggle to think of what to write about. The group setting allows each person to firstly build confidence by sharing work that they have created from nothing, and secondly to build empathy towards other people in their community by hearing their stories in their words.

Wordsmiths' workshops are designed to be inclusive of all abilities and experiences - the goal for each attendee isn't to create a perfectly worded masterpiece, the goal is to enable a creative way to communicate and to understand their own thoughts and emotions.

As a Communications Volunteer, you will help with the administration of our team newsletter NEWSROUND and our social channels. Additionally, you will support with the facilitation of our internal events. You will support the Communications Manager to communicate the great work we are doing to promote Equality, Diversity and Identity, both internally and externally.

Charity Trustee

Location: London and the South-East | Commitment: Six evening meetings per year (plus occasional ad-hoc engagements) | Term: Minimum three-year commitment

Are you passionate about making a real difference?

Our client is a charity dedicated to helping people who have, or have had issues with drugs and alcohol use, working to improve and sustain their health and wellbeing in order they can recover to lead fulfilling lives.

They're looking for dynamic and committed individuals to join their Board of Trustees. If you’ve experience in the health care sector or in customer-facing digital services development, then you could help them take the organisation forward. 

Why Join Our Client?

• Impact: Your experience can help transform lives. As a trustee, you’ll play a crucial role in guiding their strategy and ensuring they continue to provide life-changing support to those in need.
• Innovation: They’re at the forefront of developing innovative, peer-led services across London and the South-East. Your insights could drive new initiatives that challenge the status quo.
• Diversity & Inclusion: They are committed to building a Board that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We especially welcome applications from underrepresented groups, including individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds, those with disabilities, LGBTQI+ communities, and younger people.

The ideal candidate

Trustees are expected to have the below qualities:

• Share our clients values and aspirations along with having empathy with those seeking to rebuild their lives from addiction.
• Have the expertise, skills, life experience and personal qualities to form an effective and diverse Board.
• Roll up their sleeves to provide practical support to the CEO to achieve our strategy.
• Be able to fully discharge the legal requirements of being a trustee and company director.

Experience Required in one or more of the following areas:

• Working in the health care sector and/or the substance use field (strategic or operational).
• Experience of Information technology and digital development with customer-facing services.
• Experience of training, education and employment support for people with limited work histories.
• Lived experience of dependency and addictions.
• Experience of charity governance or an interest in gaining that experience.

Your Role:

As a trustee, you’ll be instrumental in:

• Shaping the strategic direction and ensuring governance reflects the needs of those that they support.
• Supporting and overseeing new service developments, working closely with the CEO and management team.
• Acting as a custodian of their values, ensuring they remain accountable, financially sustainable, and true to their mission.
• Using your networks to forge new partnerships and raise the profile of our work.

What’s in It for You?

• Board Experience: Ideal for those seeking to gain board experience or those new to senior management or the charity sector.
• Personal Fulfilment: Make a tangible impact in a grassroots charity that values your professional and personal experiences.
• Inclusive Environment: Be part of an organisation that truly values co-production and peer support, using lived experience to drive positive change.

Apply by Friday, 4th October.

We are Scotland’s charity for people living with bipolar. Our vision is for a good life for everyone in Scotland who lives with bipolar. We are member-led, collaborative, advocates of peer support, rights-based and focused on equality, and lived experience is at the heart of everything we do. 

What you'll be doing as a Faciliatator Volunteer

Alongside a co-facilitator, you will facilitate a support group once a month for 2 hours.

You’ll be welcoming people, encouraging discussion and dealing sensitively with issues or conflict that may arise within the group meeting.

You’ll play an important role in ensuring meetings run to time and that everyone has an opportunity to share if they choose to do so.

You’ll be responsible for emailing meeting reminders to group participants and submitting brief statistics to Bipolar Scotland after each meeting.

Frequency & commitment

The Inverness (Highlands and Islands) Support group take place once a month on the 1st Thursday of each month from 7pm - 9pm.

Experience required

Passion for supporting and empowering others.

We welcome applications from people living with bipolar, or experience supporting others with bipolar or another mental health condition.

Experience of engaging with groups previously would be an advantage, but not necessary.

A belief that everyone can work towards their own personal mental health recovery, and an understanding that this will look different for each person.

Excellent listening and communication skills.

Good IT skills.

The ability to commit to facilitating a meeting once or twice a month – reliability is essential.

A commitment to confidentiality.

Travel details

Inverness City Centre.

Travel expenses

Reasonable travel expenses for group facilitators to get to and from the group will be provided. This will be discussed and agreed prior to commencing the role with the Volunteer Development Officer.

Training details

Training will take place in the form of 3x 2 hour online training sessions for volunteer facilitators, which include the completion of some e-learning modules outside of that time.

Taster

Induction and on-going support will be provided.

Restrictions

Minimum age: 18
A PVG certificate / check is required to carry out this role.

Purpose of the Role

This volunteer role is a key part of the HFEH Mind team delivering a range of services across Hammersmith and Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow. We support clients with mental health with both clinical and non-clinical interventions.

Compass is a service designed to support adults (18 years and over) in H&F and Hounslow. The service provides support with welfare benefits, debt, housing and well-being/peer support groups/workshops.

The Ealing Pathways service is designed to support adults (18 years and over) with stable mental illness to stay well and avoid acute admission in the borough of Ealing. The service provides support with welfare benefits, debt, housing and well-being advice service.

As a part of this, we are looking for volunteers to support with both services. The role of the volunteer includes supporting with onboarding and contacting clients onto our services as well as completing administrative tasks.

Main Responsibilities

To work closely with the Compass/Pathways service team and support the services with enquiries and support the service users to access the service.

• Triage clients for the service through an onboarding process.
• Support with follow up surveys and questionnaires for those who have accessed the project and obtain their feedback to improve our services.
• Support the Compass/Pathways team to promote the service to the local community.
• Support with administrative tasks including recording information onto our database ‘Views’.
• Supporting clients by picking up ‘light touch cases’ e.g. form filling and welfare benefit checks.

Type of person we are looking for:

Essential

• An interest in supporting those with mental health needs to access Compass/Pathways services.
• Good oral and written communication skills (including listening skills); the ability to communicate in a patient, considered, and empathetic manner.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to follow administrative procedures.
• IT skills – able to update spreadsheets, use web-based applications, video-conferencing software, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Preferably have had experience working with people who experience poor mental health.

Time commitment and expenses

• 5 hours per week, during our opening hours of 10am–4pm.  Please indicate your preferred volunteering day(s) on your application
• We request a minimum commitment of 3 months of volunteering after the completion of your induction.   
• We will provide volunteers with an induction, training, and ongoing mentoring to support them in the role. 

We are an equal opportunities employer; and are proud to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons from all backgrounds.

HFEH Mind are committed to creating and fostering a culture that promotes safeguarding and the welfare of all children and adults at risk. Our safer recruitment practices support this by ensuring that there is a consistent and thorough process of obtaining, collating, analysing and evaluating information from and about candidates to ensure that all persons appointed are suitable to work with children and vulnerable adults.

Post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Purpose of the role

This service supports partners of women being cared for by the West London Perinatal Mental Health team. It includes wellbeing support, a 1:1 mental health assessment and provides relevant resources and referrals to further services.

Key responsibilities

• To answer emails and enquiries for the service within our service level agreements
• Triage clients for the service through an onboarding process.
• Co-facilitate a monthly peer support group
• Provide support to our caseworker when necessary

You can download a PDF of the full role description below. 

The type of person we are looking for

We welcome applications from fathers or non-birthing parents who may have experienced the challenges of parenthood and want to support others going through similar. By offering your support you will help other fathers and non-birthing parents feel less isolated, understand the importance of their role to both their partner and baby and support their access to relevant support services and resources.

Time commitment and expenses:

• 6 hours per week, during our core hours of 10am - 4pm.
  • Please indicate your preferred volunteering day(s)/time(s) on your application
• We request a minimum commitment of 3 months of volunteering after the completion of your induction
• We will provide volunteers with an induction, training, and ongoing mentoring to support them in the role 
• Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed

Why Volunteer at Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing, and Hounslow (HFEH) Mind?

Volunteering at HFEH Mind is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the work of a leading national mental health charity. We provide initial and ongoing training, as well as plenty of opportunities for progression within the organisation. You will be treated as a core member of the team from day one and be surrounded by supportive and knowledgeable colleagues fighting for mental health.

What’s in it for the volunteer?

Volunteering opportunities have been a route into paid employment within our organisation for many of our previous volunteers. However, the skills and experiences you will gain are likely to support applications for paid employment within the sector more broadly, as well as further training and education opportunities (e.g., Business courses, social work, mental health qualifications).

We are keen to foster the individual strengths and interests of volunteers. With the support of the PSFP Team, we will work with you to ensure that your volunteering experience is meaningful and valuable, whilst balancing the requirements of delivering the service.  

This role sits within our new Men’s Minds project, based in Hounslow. The aim of the service is to improve men’s mental health outcomes by developing a mental health network supported and directed by the voices of its members.

This will be achieved through three service strands: 1) Peer support network, 2) Psychoeducation workshops, addressing common needs of men’s mental health 3) Outreach support to raise awareness of men’s mental health and promote this service.

The role of the Peer Volunteer will be to support the Project Coordinator with developing and delivering various workshops and events. You will also take the lead in developing peer led support.

Staff within the service will provide person-centred, practical and emotional support, face to face in a group basis to individuals.

We are looking for someone who

• Identifies as male
• Has lived experience of mental health challenges
• Are a non-judgemental and friendly individual
• To be able to provide a welcoming, authentic, and positive experience for all, being inclusive and embracing diversity
• To feel comfortable engaging with people with mental health challenges / difficult life experiences, by validating strengths and experiences and using empowering language to overcome negative self-talk
• Are empathic and understands the stigma / social bias's surrounding mental health
• Are willing to tap into their lived experiences and use their stories to inspire hope in others when appropriate
• Are comfortable with co-producing and co-facilitating peer led workshops
• To assist the Project Coordinator with admin and planning
•  Are able to take on any ad hoc admin/support responsibilities

Time commitment and expenses:

• Flexible hours between Tues-Thurs. We are looking for someone to commit to a minimum of at least 1  or 2 days a week.
• We will provide volunteers with an induction, training, and ongoing mentoring to support them in the role
• Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.

What's in it for the volunteer?

Volunteering at Mind is a fantastic opportunity to get involved with a nationally recognised charity. We provide initial and ongoing training, as well as plenty of opportunities for progression within the organisation. You will also be a part of a supportive team with great awareness of wellbeing and the mental health sector.