Meet and Greet Peer Volunteer
Second Step - Safe Haven Crisis and Recovery Centre
| Name: | Meet and Greet Peer Volunteer |
| Organisation: | Second Step - Safe Haven Crisis and Recovery Centre |
| Location: | Safe Haven, 4 The Boulevard, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, BS23 1NA |
Description
As a Meet & Greet Peer Volunteer, you will be working alongside a small team of Senior and Recovery Navigators within the Safe Haven Crisis & Recovery Centre. The Safe Haven provides a safe space for people in acute emotional distress and is based in Weston-Super-Mare’s town centre. It is the first of its kind for North Somerset and was co-designed with input from people with experience of using local mental health services and clinicians. The service supports up to 10 clients per evening, inclusive of 1-1 telephone support, face to face support and group support. The centre is open seven days a week, between 6pm and midnight. It is open to people over 16 years old who live in North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
You will have the desire to support and encourage others on their individual recovery journeys. You will be able to clearly draw upon and share, your knowledge or own experiences of mental health challenges and services in order to inspire, model, and support them in finding their own path to recovery.
As part of the wider team, you will start to build a trusting relationship with individuals while they are accessing the Safe Haven and your role will be to meet and greet, assist with any enrolment/ paperwork, and offer support with signposting, feedback, and ongoing support for up to 6 weeks. Working alongside the Senior and Recovery Navigators, meaning you will have access to constant support and guidance.
Request Organisation Contact Details
Organisation Description
Second Step is a leading mental health charity in the South West offering housing, support, and hope to thousands of people with mental health and other problems. Our goal is to inspire hope and deliver change for everybody and every community we work with.
When
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
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| Afternoon | |||||||
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Cause / Interests
- Drugs and Addictions
- Homeless and Housing
- Mental Health
Types of Activity
- Administration
- Advice, Information and Support
- Community Work
Skills and Qualifications
Requirements
What will be involved?
• Welcoming service users attending appointments at the Safe Haven: to assist service users to feel at ease and help them settle in and to provide general information about the service and what to expect.
• Support service users with feedback forms, wellbeing questionnaires and ensure forms are fully completed.
• Offer to / make refreshments for service users when they arrive.
• Provide a safe sounding board, someone who will listen and not judge.
• Help to improve wellbeing, self-confidence, and independence by exploring activities that promote these areas.
• Relate to service users by using your own life experiences and provide reassurance through positive examples of hope and possibility.
• Ensure that professional boundaries are maintained to protect both yourself and the service user.
• Offer information and signpost, where necessary, to enable service users to make their own informed choices in their recovery journey.
• Provide administrative and / or practical support to the staff team.
• Debrief with the Senior Recovery Navigator after your shift to discuss any concerns or queries.
Who should apply for this role?
We are looking for volunteers who have:
• a passion for supporting others.
• an awareness of self-management resources and coping strategies.
• an ability to empathise with others and form trusting relationships.
• a non-judgmental approach and an ability to maintain appropriate boundaries.
• good listening and communication skills, reliability and good time keeping.
• an ability to take responsibility for your own self-care and willingness to utilise the support and supervision provided by the Senior Volunteer Coordinator.
• the desire and ability to share any personal experiences of mental health and recovery to support, empower and bring hope to others.
Benefits
You will be supported by the Senior Volunteer Coordinator who will provide regular check-ins and supervision sessions, as well as hold group supervision sessions with other volunteers. As well as ongoing support and guidance from the Safe Haven team during your shift.
The Senior Volunteer Coordinator will support you to obtain a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check. Any disclosures will be discussed on a case-by-case basis and will not automatically stop you from being involved. Please note that DBS checks are free of charge.
Additional/Specific Suitabilities
| Minimum Age: | 18 | |
| Maximum Age: | NA | |
| Disabled Access: | Yes | |
| Wheelchair Access: | Yes | |
| Expenses: | reasonable expenses (i.e. travel) will be paid | |
| Restrictions: | N/A | |
| Induction: | Yes | |
| Insurance Cover: | Yes | |
| Special Needs: | N/A | |
| Offer: | Yes | |
| Training: | Yes | |
| Other: | NA |
Recruitment Method
Application form, DBS Check, Interview, References