About this role
Our BAND service has worked alongside people with lived experience of a mental health condition for over 25 years. We believe that everyone has the right and capability to lead an inclusive and meaningful life and our services are designed to support people to take steps towards achieving this.
The service operates throughout the borough of Bolton and has a range of opportunities for volunteers to work alongside our clients and offer support on their recovery journey.
What is the time commitment?
Minimum commitment for 6 months.
Who will you be helping?
Adults
You will be supporting an adult living with a mental health condition on their recovery journey.
What difference will you make?
Through your volunteer role at BAND, you will support individuals living with mental health conditions to grow in confidence and self-esteem. You will be helping them to connect with other people and access opportunities in their community. You will support them to develop or practice important life skills that they may find challenging.
The tasks you do will depend on which role you take on, but the type of activities our volunteers do include:
- Meeting a beneficiary on a regular basis to build rapport and trust
- Supporting a beneficiary with:
- Identifying thier goals
- developing goal plans with small, achievable steps
- working towards goals
- assessing progress made
- developing strategies for dealing with obstacles
- Facilitating a special interest group which enables beneficiaries to build confidence and social skills whilst practising a favourite hobby
- Visiting a beneficiary on a mental health ward and supporting them prior to and shortly after being discharged.
Through your volunteer role at BAND, you will support individuals living with mental health conditions to grow in confidence and self-esteem. You will be helping them to connect with other people and access opportunities in their community. You will support them to develop or practice important life skills that they may find challenging.
Who are we looking for?
This role will suit volunteers with:
- Knowledge of mental health services in Bolton an advantage
- Understanding of the impact of mental health conditions on daily living
- Understanding of issues around confidentiality
- Empathic approach
- Good listening and communication skills
- Ability to work within structured boundaries
- Commitment to the work and ongoing personal development
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Ability to work on own initiative
- We welcome applications from people with personal experience of mental health conditions
What's in it for you?
There are many benefits to volunteering with BAND, including:
- Being part of a team and becoming a part of Family Action, a national charity with 150 years of experience supporting families.
- The chance to develop skills and gain experience for future employment
- Opportunity to develop new skills and interests
- A chance to meet new people and feel part of a group
- An opportunity to contribute to and be part of our befriending volunteer team and organisation
- An opportunity to increase your knowledge and awareness of mental health conditions, and the impact they have on daily living.
All Family Action volunteers receive full training and access to ongoing supervision and support as long as they are in the role.
How can you find out more?
BAND offer regular volunteer information events where the roles are explained in more detail and you will have the opportunity to meet some of the team.
To find out more or book a place at one of these events, please click the ‘I’m interested’ button below to leave your contact details, and a member of the team will be in touch.
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