Volunteer with SWWMind

Everything our volunteers do supports our mission to empower individuals to access mental health and wellbeing support to thrive in their local communities. Volunteers are critical to our success, without them, we simply couldn’t deliver the services we do.  
 
It can also be incredibly rewarding for you, too. Enjoy:
 
  • The sense of making a positive difference
  • Improving the wellbeing of yourself and others 
  • Meeting new people 
  • Gaining valuable skills or work experience
  • Using existing skills for a good cause
What Would Volunteering Involve? 

South Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind has different volunteering opportunities that all help us to support as many people as possible. You could be supporting individuals as a mentor, helping our mental health practitioners to facilitate wellbeing groups, or helping to deliver a fundraising event. Whatever you decide to do, you’ll be making a real difference. 
 

 

CURRENT VOLUNTEER ROLES AVAILABLE

We are currently recruiting for the below volunteer roles. If you have any questions about volunteering, please email Emma Pullen, our Volunteer Coordinator, who will be happy to help you. 

Volunteer Social Group Facilitator

  • Based in Redditch
  • 3-4 evening hours weekly, for a minimum of 6 months
  • Volunteers need to be aged 18+

Role Summary & Impact

If you’d like to use your people and listening skills to support others to better wellbeing, then this role could be for you! You will co-lead the delivery of local social groups designed to support people experiencing loneliness and social isolation. These sessions are designed to support those people to meet others, build relationships, and build longer-lasting resilience. It’s an opportunity for you to learn and develop new skills, and also to make a real difference within your local community.

Volunteer Social Group Facilitators co-lead the delivery of local social groups designed to support people experiencing loneliness and social isolation. Two allocated evening social sessions will give people the opportunity to safely meet others, engage in peer support, chat, and play board games etc. You’ll ensure a friendly welcome and a supportive environment for people who come along. You’ll play a direct role in enhancing people’s wellbeing by enabling a reduction of feelings of isolation and loneliness, being a listening ear if needed, and encouraging people to engage in activities that support improved wellbeing.

The aim of the groups is to equip individuals with social skills and ultimately allow them to create their own local peer support networks.

Volunteers will co-deliver social groups with another volunteer. Specifically, they will:

  • Set up social group sessions
  • Supervise activities and the smooth running of the group
  • Be on hand to listen to the people who use our services and signpost to further support
    where appropriate
  • Be willing to take part in discussions
  • Ensure that the group is delivered within a safe, welcoming environment
  • Take part in practical elements of the session such as making refreshments, completing
    the register and collating group feedback
  • Tidy up afterwards

For the full role description, click here. To submit an application, please click below.

Volunteer Application Form

Wellbeing Group Volunteer 

  • Based within Redditch
  • 3-4 hours weekly, for a minimum of 6 months
  • Volunteers need to be aged 18+

Role Summary & Impact

If you’d like to use your people and listening skills to support others to better wellbeing, then this role could be for you! Volunteers will support SWWMind mental health practitioners to deliver local group wellbeing sessions. 

Groups are designed to improve the wellbeing of people with low to medium mental health needs through workshops, peer discussion, and positive activity.

The aim of the groups is to equip individuals with coping strategies and mechanisms for self-help and ultimately allow them to move on and create their own local peer support networks.Volunteers will co-deliver groups alongside a practitioner. Specifically, they will:

  • Help with the setting up of groups
  • Support the delivery of activities and smooth running of the group, being on hand to listen to the people who use our services and offer signposting where appropriate
  • Be willing to take part in discussions
  • Support in ensuring the group is delivered within a safe, welcoming environment
  • Take part in practical elements of the session such as making refreshments, completing the register and collating group feedback
  • Help to tidy up afterwards

For the full role description, click here. To submit an application, please click below.

Volunteer Application Form

Volunteer Children & Young Person’s Wellbeing Group Facilitator 

  • Based within community venues in the CV34 postcode area
  • 3-4 hours weekly, for a minimum of 6 months
  • Volunteers need to be aged 18+ to carry out this role

Role Summary & Impact

Volunteers will support children and young people (aged 5-17) in an activity group setting which will be led by a mental health practitioner. Volunteers will help coordinate and facilitate the group and will be a friendly face and consistent point of contact for service users.

They’ll provide opportunities for the children and young people to continue to build their resilience and confidence to improve their mental health and wellbeing through peer support.

Volunteers will coordinate the activity groups and support with their delivery. Specifically, they will:

  • Help with the setting up of group sessions
  • Support the delivery of activities and smooth running of the group, being on hand to listen to the people who use our services and offer signposting where appropriate
  • Support in ensuring the group is delivered within a safe, welcoming environment
  • Oversee practical elements of the session such as making refreshments, completing the register and collating group feedback
  • Help to tidy up afterwards
For the full role description, please click here. To submit an application, please click below.
Volunteer Application Form

Volunteer Children & Young Person’s Wellbeing Mentor

  • A possible mix of being in the community (within the CV34 postcode area) and online from home
  • 3 hours weekly, for a minimum of 3 months
  • Volunteers need to be aged 18+ to carry out this role

Role Summary & Impact

Volunteers will support a child or young person (aged 11-17) by acting as a mentor to them. They’ll provide the opportunity for the younger person to continue to build their resilience and confidence to improve their mental health and wellbeing through the development of real-life social and practical skills.

The volunteer will help put together and carry out a Wellbeing Action Plan with the young person.

The aim of the mentoring programme is to provide the opportunity for the younger person to continue to build their resilience and confidence and improve their wellbeing through developing practical and social skills in line with the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’.

Volunteers will:

  • Meet weekly with a child or young person, either online or in person (this may be a combination of both depending on the needs of the person)
  • Actively listen to the child or young person
  • Support the child or young person to put together and carry out a Wellbeing Action Plan
  • Prepare for ongoing sessions to check in on how things are going
  • Provide ongoing support until the sessions are completed (we anticipate each child or young person receiving up to 6 sessions as part of this programme)

For the full role description click here. To submit an application click below.

Volunteer Application Form

Job Club Volunteer

  • Neighbourhood Mental Health settings across Worcestershire
  • 1 group (approximately 3 hours) per week
  • Volunteers need to be aged 18+ to carry out this role

Role Summary & Impact

As part of the Mental Health Transformation offer, patients under the Neighbourhood Mental Health Teams can access employment support through IPS (Individual Placement Support). Part of this service includes supporting individuals (back) into work. We are looking for volunteers to support and facilitate ‘Job Club’ style groups within Worcestershire settings to support the IPS service. Here volunteers will offer light touch support to people who are job ready for 2-3 hours per week. 

Volunteers will:

  • Support patients with job search, applications and Mental Health disclosure
  • Offer Appropriate signposting to other services
  • Undertake risk assessment and manage Health and Safety
  • Escalate any concerns/safeguarding appropriately

For the full role description, please click here. To submit an application click below.

Volunteer Application Form

Testimonials

“I have been volunteering for SWWMind for a year now and every day has been a rewarding and positive experience. When I first applied I sought a distraction from my current life and to engage in an area which I had a little experience. Over time I have been on a constant learning curve. It is empowering and humbling to support a team that makes a real difference to people who are in distress.”

Paul Thompson,
Fundraising Volunteer

“I started last year in July and felt very welcome by all staff and other volunteers. Everyone is very supportive and it’s great to feel like I’m making a difference to the service users of SWWMind.”

Jagjit Purewal,
Wellbeing Hub Volunteer

“I started last year in July and felt very welcome by all staff and other volunteers. Everyone is very supportive and it’s great to feel like I’m making a difference to the service users of SWWMind.”

Lal Clay,
Admin Volunteer