Peer Support Volunteer – Peers2Pals

Volunteer Opportunity:      Peer Support Volunteer – Peers2Pals

Salary:                                  Nil

Location:                              Bracknell 

ABOUT BUCKINGHAMSHIRE MIND AND MIND IN BERKSHIRE

Buckinghamshire Mind was founded in 1914 as Buckinghamshire Association for Mental Health. The charity is independent and responsible for its own governance and income generation. We are proud to be affiliated to national Mind (the leading mental health charity in England and Wales) and to play our part in a diverse network of over 140 other local Mind associations.

Mind in Berkshire is a collaboration between Buckinghamshire Mind and Oxfordshire Mind, in which we work together to create a unified voice and understanding across East and West Berkshire.

Buckinghamshire Mind shares National Mind’s vision: “We won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets both support and respect.”  It remains our mission to deliver high quality community-based services across Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire to reach out and ensure everyone with a mental health problem gets access to the help they need.

Working from offices in Chesham, High Wycombe and other community venues we provide high quality services to some of the most isolated and vulnerable members of society. Services include: Wellbeing activity groups, peer support groups, Safe Haven crisis service, befriending, community partnership outreach services, peer support in schools’, and adult and young people’s counselling.

Buckinghamshire Mind has over 500 volunteers (including 400 peer ambassadors/mentors in schools and over 100 in befriending partnerships). These dedicated individuals support our passionate staff team ensuring our services are tailored to need and are of the highest quality.  Further information can be found on your website.

Volunteer Opportunity

We are currently looking for enthaustic, dynamic and supportive volunteers aged 17-25 to work with our young people’s peer support group, Peers2Pals.

Peers2Pals is a friendly and welcoming peer support community, for people to help each other with managing their mental wellbeing and reduce loneliness and isolation.

Our uplifting and fun activities provide the opportunity to socialise and share experiences in a non-judgemental and completely confidential setting. Our activities are based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing: To Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, To Learn and To Give.

We offer a range of activities across East Berkshire during the day, evenings, and some weekends. Our youth volunteers play an integral role in our service, running activities, such as a bowling group, meal and games evenings and quiz nights. We are hoping to expand our team and reach more young people.

This role is a wonderful opportunity to facilitate an activity that will benefit the mental health and wellbeing of our members. If you have a skill, hobby, or interest you’d like to share, we’d love to hear about it! Volunteers must be comfortable in a group setting and building rapport with people from all walks of life.

An understanding of mental health is essential and lived experience is welcomed. All successful applicants will have completed our volunteer training, undertaken a DBS check, and provided 2 references. Volunteers will be expected to facilitate a peer support group for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours per month face to face or virtually, attend regular training and volunteer development sessions as required, and take part in monthly peer volunteer meetings with your coordinator and fellow volunteers. As a Friends in Need volunteer, you can claim travel expenses.

For an informal chat about the role or for further information, please contact Chloe Benn – Friends in Need Coordinator.