Volunteer Advocate

Mentalhealth UK; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Join Rethink Mental Illness as a Volunteer Advocate to support individuals in Wandsworth and Richmond. This rewarding role will allow you to empower people dealing with disabilities and mental health issues, offering them advocacy and guidance as they navigate health and social care challenges. Commitment of at least 7 hours per week is needed.

Benefits

Training and regular supervision

Opportunity to make a difference in people's lives

Qualifications

• Ability to empathise and secure rights for people from all backgrounds.
• Experience or knowledge in health and social care is preferred.
• Flexible availability during the working week.

Responsibilities

• Hold a small caseload to support individuals with various issues.
• Enable clients to understand their rights and make informed decisions.
• Support people facing important life decisions that impact their independence.

Skills

Communication skills

Empathy

Motivation

IT skills

Job description

This is a voluntary , minimum of 7 hours per week vacancy that will close in 2 months at 23:59 BST .

Your role

Amazing, giving, and inspiring area few of the 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 Volunteer Advocatesto support our AdvocacyService in the Boroughs of Wandsworth and Richmond. You will be based at home, butthis role could also involve some travel within the Wandsworth and Richmond boroughs.

Ideally, you will be able to commit a minimum of 7hours per week to volunteering. You will be able to confirm youravailability on your application, and thiswill be discussed with you during your discussion with the volunteer manager.

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

About the service

Wandsworth & Richmond Advocacy Services offers a range of statutory and non-statutory advocacy services. As a volunteer, you will be supporting our delivery of community advocacy for people who are 18+ and live in Wandsworth & Richmond Boroughs. You will be supporting a range of people, including those with learning, physical, and sensory disabilities as well as mental illness, who need support with a health and social care issue and are not eligible for a statutory service. We do not support people with everyday decisions, but when important decisions are being made that could affect their quality of life, independence, or have long-term consequences.

What you will be doing as a Volunteer Advocate

• You will hold a small caseloadsupporting people to do a range of issues
• You will offer support on a short-term basis and focus on a specific issue.
• You will support people by enabling them to find information, understand their rights and choices, have a voice, and make their own informed decisions.
• You may be supporting people in making difficult or important decisions that may impact their quality of life and independence, and have long-term consequences.
• You will provide peer advocacy and help with the delivery of self-advocacy workshops.

What will make you a great fit for this role?

• You will have good communication skills
• You will possessthe ability to empathise
• You will have the motivation to secure the rights of people from all backgrounds
• You will haveknowledge of, or experience of working within, health and social care
• You will have a good knowledge of IT skills for recording information and using email
• You will be flexible and able to volunteerduring the working week

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 statusand 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 ouranti-racist statement .We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in ourRace 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.

What do we value?

Passion

We are passionate about leading the way to a better quality of life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.

Commitment

We work tirelessly to provide support for everyone severely affected by mental illness.

Hope

We offer hope of a better quality of life for all those severely affected by mental illness.

Expertise

We constantly use our expertise to provide practical and personal support for people who are severely affected by mental illness.

People who are severely affected by mental illness are at the heart of everything we do in our organisation – our membership, our governance and our workforce.

Equity

We believe that in a world where discrimination and disadvantage exist, treating people with equity is critical to ensure justice and fairness for all.

We are open and transparent in all our work with beneficiaries, supporters, partners and the public to achieve change for people severely affected by mental illness.

Why volunteer with Rethink?

We understand that people volunteer for many different reasons and whatever your reason is for volunteering we’ll be there to support you every step of the way. You will receive an induction to ensure you feel confident in your role as well as regular supervision. Other benefits of volunteering include:

"I was able to gain valuable experience in the mental health field which has helped me to kick-start my career. Overall, the befriending experience is definitely one I would recommend. It has helped me to expand on skills, to make a difference in people’s lives, and has opened up opportunities for me to progress in my career. "

"I am a lived experienced volunteer for Rethink. The thing I find amazing is that my lived experience which includes addiction, prison, and mental health all of which helped me get the role which makes me feel that all the suffering I've gone through has meant something and that makes me feel I'm respected. The reason I do this role is every time I help someone, I feel I'm one step away from the person I was to the person I'm meant to be, I'm very grateful to Rethink as they helped me to become the best version of myself."

Please be mindful that we may need to close adverts early if we receive a high volume of applications, we, therefore, encourage you to apply as soon as possible.