As a Mental Health Telephone Support Volunteer, you will specifically be calling members from the You Are Not Alone service which supports 16–30-year-olds that have attempted suicide, for regular check-in calls and support to continue using skills learned in their 6-month DBT group therapy. In these 20 min calls where you will support members to think about, set, and work towards improving their wellbeing (emotional, physical, and psychological). You will build a build a trusting connection, reconnect them to their strengths and help them work towards a life worth living.
You will be part of an interdisciplinary team that offers ongoing support groups, casework support and therapy to support members who are struggling with their mental health. Some members have described this service as a "life-line" that makes them feel less alone.
As a Mental Health Telephone Support Volunteer you will be building empathetic and trusting relationships with members, helping them to combat isolation, giving them to feel seen and heard. This is an extremely rewarding role and is vital in maintaining member's essential connection to the Body & Soul community and all it has to offer.
Before you start in this role you will be trained by one of the group facilitators in essential DBT skills such as emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance skills. You will also have ongoing supervision and other learning and development opportunities including the potential to join our 3-day Essential DBT Skills Training run by two leading DBT therapists.
Commitment –
- We ask volunteers to commit to a minimum of 4 hours per week.
- To keep continuity for our members we would like volunteers to make a minimum commitment of 6 months.
Essential skills –
- Warmth, friendliness, and excellent communication skills.
- Proactive, confident, and personable approach.
- Good listening skills and ability to provide one to one emotional support.
- Ability to form strong relationships and discussions with a diverse community.
- Non-judgemental, adaptable, and open-minded.
Desirable skills –
- Experience in coaching, befriending, or supporting others emotionally.
- Experience supporting people with mental health difficulties, emotional dysregulation, and suicidality.
- Interest in a holistic approach to health and wellbeing.
Similar Opportunities
We are looking for volunteers to support with supervising our exhibitions between 26th May – 7th June being the first point of contact for visitors, ensuring they have a welcoming and informative experience.
We’re looking for enthusiastic and friendly volunteer stewards to support our next season of live events, offer our visitors a warm welcome, and provide information and assistance to ensure that our events run smoothly and are enjoyed by all.
Thursday 21st – Sunday 24th August and/or Thursday 28th – Sunday 31st August Join us on one (or both!) of our action-packed summer camps and get to know our friendly service users as you take part in exciting camp activities.
