Group Development Volunteer

Your Role

Amazing, giving and inspiring are just a few words we would use to describe our volunteers.

Our volunteers play an integral part in the services we provide and the people we support. If you are looking for a rewarding role where you will really make a difference whilst gaining experience along the way, then join us here at Rethink Mental Illness.

About the role

We are looking for a Group Development Volunteers to support our service in Ripley Derbyshire. You will be based in the community and, ideally, you will be able to commit a minimum of 3 hours per week to volunteering.

You will be volunteering alongside Group Development Workers, visiting a range of peer led support groups in the district of your choice. Liaising between the groups and the Group Development Team. Encouraging and supporting the groups to become self-sustainable and helping to promote the importance of peer support.

You will receive training and regular supervision to ensure you feel confident in your role. You can read more about the benefits of volunteering on the full advert on our website.

About the service

Delivered in partnership with People, Potential, Possibilities (P3) and Derbyshire Federation for Mental Health (DFMH), the service will help people improve and maintain their mental health and wellbeing and reconnect with their local community by offering access to targeted one-to-one staff support, telephone support and community groups, and is open to anyone over the age of 18 living in Derbyshire who is experiencing mental ill health. The service provides:

• Targeted support through one-to-one and group sessions
• Self help and peer support
• Telephone support
• Advice and information on mental illness
• Recovery education to help manage and understand your mental health
• Social activities in the local community
• Signposting to other sources of community and specialist support

What you will be doing as a Group Development Volunteer

• Visit a range of peer led support groups in the district of your choice.

• Informing and updating the groups with any relevant information given to you by the Group Development Workers.

• Reporting any information or concerns to the Group Development Team.

• Encouraging the groups to become self-sustainable.

• Promoting the importance of peer support within the groups.

What will make you a great fit for this role?

• An in interest in mental health or supporting those with mental illness.

• Knowledge of the local area.

• Excellent active listening and ability to build rapport.

• An understanding of the principles of Peer Support and Recovery.

• Able to relate to people from all backgrounds and the ability to remain non-judgemental.

• Understand the importance of confidentiality.

• This role will involve travelling to different groups across your chosen area. Whilst a driving licence and vehicle is not essential, the ability to get to the location of the groups is.

Who are we?

We're Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: "A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness."

It is an exciting time to join our growing charity. We are on a transformation journey, one that supports the delivery of the organisation strategy - delivering Communities that Care. Supporting employees, managers and leaders through this change is a key priority for the People function. Just like its key that we attract diverse people to come and work for us.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we're working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer. We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement. We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.

We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and (asexual) (LGBTQIA+), people with a disability, and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.