Potential volunteers attend a one-day induction and training event to learn more about mental health and Oxfordshire Mind. Once a placement has been agreed, specific training relevant to that position is then provided and volunteers also have opportunities for further training on issues such as Mental Health First Aid, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Safeguarding, Domestic Violence Awareness and many other topics relevant to mental health.
Placements
Volunteer placements are available throughout Oxfordshire Mind’s well-established and long-running services across Oxfordshire. Most placements are located in our wide-ranging
Wellbeing Service, but there are also opportunities within the
Information Line, the
Benefits for Better Mental Health Service, in
Housing and in the central office. We are also developing partnerships with other Mental Health Organisation in Oxfordshire, so you may have the opportunity to undertake your placement outside Mind.
What is the time commitment?
We are looking for people who are available regularly, ideally for at least one session per week for a minimum of three months. Bear in mind that it can take several weeks to organise volunteering since we have an induction process and need to obtain references and undertake a criminal records bureau check - so the three months must be addition to this time. A session might be a half-day in the central office, 2 or 3 hours in the wellbeing service, a 3-hour shift on the information line – it will vary depending on the needs of the service. You also need to allow time for regular supervision which is an essential part of the way we work. Supervision is not just about overseeing your work – it is also your opportunity to reflect on and develop your skills in mental health work. We will consider volunteers who cannot offer their help regularly every week but it may be more difficult to find a valuable role for you that also meets the needs of our services.
Volunteer Roles
Volunteer roles vary and can also develop as you gain skills and confidence. In the Wellbeing Service, you can help out with whatever is going on, being there to support service users, often chatting to them on a 1:1 basis. You can also volunteer by bringing with you a specific skill, such as cooking, music, gardening, art or sport, computing, reflexology, IT or any other skills. Elsewhere in the organisation, volunteers provide invaluable administrative support to enable projects to function, gather and provide information to colleagues and to the public, help to organise events, and find many other ways to use their experience and skills to support our work.
What do I do next?
So if you are from a
BME background and would like
to become a Chain Reaction Volunteer, please complete the application form (download below) and return it by email or through the post.
If you would like more information first, please feel free to email or phone the Chain Reaction team. We all work part-time but will respond to you as soon as we can.
You can apply for a particular opportunity via our
current opportunities page.
Address: The Chain Reaction Team, Oxfordshire Mind, 2 Kings Meadow, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0DP Tel: 01865 263730
