Volunteering
GMMH wholeheartedly recognises the value of volunteering for our service users and carers, our staff, and you yourselves as volunteers. We actively encourage the involvement of volunteers across all services, both clinical and corporate.
Volunteers provide a valuable service to the Trust, therefore, it is essential that we recruit, induct and support you properly. Not only does this ensure you feel valued and supported, but it ensures safe practice as our service users are often vulnerable adults and children.
We know that the direct involvement of volunteers in delivering our services can foster better engagement with our service users and carers, empower individuals and communities, and contribute to more responsive services. Volunteering can promote good physical and mental health for you as volunteers yourselves and our service users and carers.
It is part of the NHS 10 Year Long Term Plan. to integrate people with lived experience of mental health difficulties themselves into the workforce. Our service users tell us that they would welcome support from someone who has experience of what they are going through in order to help them in their recovery journey. We have feedback from service users and Volunteer Peer Mentors in our services that tells us that creating this connection between peers offers people hope, aspiration and motivation.
That is why many of our volunteer opportunities are for Peer Mentors and Buddies, but we also have many other opportunities as well. In our in-patient areas for example our service users tell us that although the quality of care is high, they do experience boredom which can exacerbate their condition. Therefore we also have opportunities for Volunteer Activity Assistants in our in-patient areas.
We also recognise that volunteering is a valuable means to support career development for those needing to gain experience in order to pursue their career. As such, we welcome applications for students and the general public.
When we have a vacancy for a volunteer we will list it below. Please click on the opportunities available and pay particular attention to the requirements for the role. You will need to complete our Trust Volunteer Application Form which you can download in order to apply. Please return your completed application form to the contact detailed in the advertisement by the closing date specified.
Thank you and good luck!
Contact our Volunteer Team if you would like to know more about the volunteering agenda at GMMH:
0161 358 0583
Current Opportunities
Wigan Neighbourhood Mental Health Team - Peer Mentor Volunteer
Role: Peer Mentor Engagement & Recovery Volunteer
Service: Wigan Neighbourhood Mental Health Team
Location: Across a range of Wigan community settings
Supervisor: Kieran Jones
Role Summary/Purpose
The Wigan Neighbourhood MHT are looking for enthusiastic and motivated volunteer peer mentors to work in their community mental health service. The service provides timely access to mental health services when people need it most and provide support for people who might not traditionally meet the threshold or criteria for existing mental health services.
The role of a Peer Mentor has been developed specifically for people who have lived experience of mental health or a dual diagnosis such as mental health and substance misuse. Peer Mentors work with people who may benefit from peer support, in addition to other treatment and interventions. As a Peer Mentor Volunteer you will act as a role model, mentor, and ambassador for Wigan Neighbourhood MHT in both clinical and non-clinical environments across a range of community settings. Through sharing wisdom from your own experiences, you will also inspire hope and belief that living well is possible.
The Wigan Neighbourhood MHT are compassionately led, trauma informed, and recovery focused. Wigan Neighbourhood has co-produced key values and principles that all staff and peers share. As a result, our model is humanistic and person-centred. Our core values are based on creating open, honest, safe spaces and conversations where all people’s strengths are valued.
Main Duties & Responsibilities:
Thank you for your interest in this role. As part of the role, we require you to:
- Be available for at least 5 hours per week (hours are negotiable as this is a volunteer role but for continuity, we would ask for a weekly commitment)
- Use your own lived experience of mental health difficulties and accessing support via mental health services in your own recovery, to enrich your relationship with service users.
- Attend and complete our in-house Level 2 Award in Peer Mentorship
- To develop materials and resources using a Node-Link Mapping approach that will support service users around engagement and recovery. (Training provided)
- To offer brief, one to one, interventions using a Node-Link Mapping approach to engage, empower and support individuals on their recovery journey. (Training provided).
- To support the development and facilitation of self-help groups that offer general support and group interventions using a Node-Link Mapping approach (training provided).
- To comply with all Trust policies and procedures but particular in relation to safeguarding vulnerable adults and children, and information sharing.
- To work as part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team and receive and share information within that team in order to safeguard individuals and support them to work towards their goals.
Requirements for the Role:
To fulfil the duties of this role we ask that you:
- Have your own lived experience of mental health difficulties and accessing support via community mental health services.
- Can commit to at least 5 hours per week as a volunteer.
- Can commit to attending GMMH 8-day Level 2 Peer Mentorship course.
- Have a basic understanding of safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
- Have a basic understanding of confidentiality and information sharing legislation.
- Have a basic understanding of professional boundaries.
- Have respect and compassion for others and their right to choose and to be treated with dignity.
- Have good communication skills.
- Be willing to work as part of a team.
If you would like to apply for this role please complete the application below and send to
Kieran Jones (Peer Mentor Coordinator)
https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/download.cfm?doc=docm93jijm4n10672.docx&ver=13755
This role description reflects the role at the present time and should not be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive.
Please note: we strongly recommend that you check with the Benefits Agency that your commitment to volunteering does not penalise you in any way and does not affect your benefits.
This role is unpaid, however, we will refund all travel expenses for training and volunteering in line with Trust Policy.
As a service user, relative or carer using our services, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice, and support.
Find resources for carers and service users Contact the Trust