Changes Bristol

Who we are

Changes Bristol is a mental health charity that provides peer support groups and befriending services around Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. We offer free, open access provision through peer support groups (including online groups, in-person groups, cost of living groups and specific safe space groups, ie. LGBTQIA+, Women of Colour, Men of Colour, Women’s and Men’s groups) and befriending over the telephone and through ‘Walk and Talk’ and nature wellbeing groups.

We support people who are experiencing mental distress or low mental wellbeing, with no diagnosis, referral or commitment required. We currently support around 850 individuals per year, with 97% of survey respondents reporting an improvement in their mental wellbeing. Our services primarily rely on our team of over 120 brilliant volunteers, complemented by a core staff team of 11, along with 3 placement students, ensuring the seamless operation of our services.

You will be joining a small and vibrant team at a time when our service is more important than ever. The Charity has expanded substantially over the last 2 years.

Our culture and values

Allyship and Inclusion

To us, this means being committed to using our platform and services to amplify and advocate for the voices of under-represented individuals and communities. This includes designating safe spaces for these groups where they have the opportunity to discuss shared experiences of marginalisation and stigma. We are dedicated to using our personal privilege to support colleagues and members from historically marginalised and oppressed communities

Empowerment

Recognising the value in other people’s skills and unique qualities and supporting individuals to utilise these alongside their personal experiences in a way that encourages growth. We seek to help to raise up individuals and amplify the voices of our brilliant lived-experience community.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Celebrating our differences and embracing the global community we are all part of is central to our cause. Everybody has mental health, but we understand that some communities face intersectional hardship and additional barriers to support, including discrimination.

We seek to ensure our community is inclusive, free of harmful power dynamics and representative of the population we serve. All of our services are ‘safe spaces’ but we have created dedicated spaces for Women of Colour, Men of Colour, LGBTQIA+ individuals, women and men, as we understand that these communities all face unique and nuanced challenges.

Respect

We strive to ensure every person feels welcomed and heard. Our goal is to prioritise authenticity, empathy and acceptance to foster genuine connections.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing means prioritising our physical and mental health and acknowledging when our needs are not being met. We encourage open and honest dialogue about how our members, staff and volunteers are feeling and what they need to improve their wellbeing. We understand that we cannot support others unless we are supported ourselves.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Equality, diversity and inclusion are integral to Changes Bristol and we have made it one of our core values. We understand that we still have more work to do, and we are committed to continual growth, open dialogue and not only celebrating what we do well but learning from what we can do better. We are committed to ensuring our team represents the communities they serve and see the value that diversity adds to our team.