Volunteer Befriender

Rethink Mental Illness; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

A mental health support organization in Brent is seeking Volunteer Befrienders to help reduce social isolation among service users. This rewarding role allows you to provide emotional support and assist clients in accessing community resources. Ideal candidates should have good communication skills and a flexible approach to meet service users' needs. Volunteers will have the chance to make a significant impact in the lives of individuals facing mental health challenges.

Qualifications

• Good communication skills.
• Flexibility to meet service users' needs.

Responsibilities

• Meeting with service users in locations that meet their needs.
• Providing befriending support to a maximum of 2 service users at any one time.
• Providing emotional support based on lived experience.
• Supporting service users in accessing social and community networks.
• Acting as a community connector to local services.

Job description

Overview

Amazing, giving, and inspiring are 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 Volunteer Befrienders to support our Brent Mental Health service in the London Borough of Brent. As a Volunteer Befriender, you will be required to travel across Brent to meet with service users and carry out your role. Ideally, you will be able to commit a minimum of 2 hour per week to volunteering. You will be supported by Befriending Volunteer Coordinators who will provide 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

Our Brent Mental Health service provides support to people aged 18 and above, who live in the Borough of Brent, and who have a mental illness and are known to the local NHS trust Central and North West London (CNWL).

• The aim of the Befriending Service is to;Reduce social isolation of service users
• Increase the confidence of service users in accessing community resources independently
• Provide meaningful activities and peer support for service users
• Help service users to live happier, healthier, independent lives
• Provide volunteering opportunities for people with mental health issues
• Reduce stigma and raise mental health awareness

What you will be doing as a Volunteer Befriender

• Meeting with service users in locations and times which meet their needs (including evenings and weekends)
• Provide befriending support to a maximum of 2 service users at any one time
• Provide emotional support based on your own lived experience
• Support service users to access and build social and community networks and activities
• Act as a community connector to local services

What will make you a great fit for this role?

• You will have good communication skills
• You will be flexible in order to meet the needs of the service users

How to apply

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact or If would like to express an interest for this opportunity, please complete an application as soon as possible as the advert may close early if we receive a high level of interest.