Role Overview

As a vital part of our organization, volunteers contribute significantly to the services we offer and the individuals we assist. If you seek a fulfilling opportunity that allows you to make a positive impact while gaining valuable experience, consider joining Rethink Mental Illness.

Position Details

We are in search of dedicated Volunteer Befrienders to aid our Mental Health Service in Gloucestershire. Volunteers will operate within their local communities to engage in face-to-face befriending activities. The areas of focus include Stroud, Gloucester, Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Forest of Dean, and the Cotswolds.

As a Volunteer Befriender, you may need to travel within your locality to connect with service users and fulfill your responsibilities. A commitment of at least 3 hours per week is preferred.

Additionally, there are opportunities to assist staff in delivering workshops aimed at enhancing wellbeing and recovery for service users, such as managing anxiety or boosting confidence and self-esteem, should you wish to participate.

About Our Services

Our Gloucestershire Mental Health Service provides essential support to individuals aged 18 and older, residing in the county or registered with a Gloucestershire GP, who are experiencing mental health challenges.

Aims of the Befriending Service

• Mitigate social isolation among service users
• Enhance service users' confidence in accessing community resources independently
• Offer meaningful activities and peer support
• Assist service users in leading happier, healthier, and more independent lives
• Provide volunteering opportunities for individuals with mental health challenges
• Combat stigma and promote mental health awareness

Responsibilities of a Volunteer Befriender

• Engage with service users at times and locations that suit their needs, including evenings and weekends when appropriate
• Offer emotional support drawing from your own lived experiences
• Help service users access and build social and community networks and activities
• Act as a connector to local services

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Personal experience with mental health issues, either as a caregiver or as someone who has navigated their own mental health needs
• Strong communication skills
• Flexibility to meet the diverse needs of service users

About Us

Rethink Mental Illness is a leading charity dedicated to providing mental health services across England. We support thousands through our various programs, services, policy initiatives, campaigns, and informational resources. Our mission is to ensure a better quality of life for those severely affected by mental illness.

We encourage applications from all individuals, particularly those with lived experiences, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, and those from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. We are proud to hold the status of a Disability Confident employer and are committed to becoming an anti-racist organization, continuously striving for fair and inclusive recruitment practices.