Volunteer - Crisis Safe Space Wells

The Crisis Safe Space was co- designed by local people with experience of mental health crisis who wanted more support available in the community rather than at hospital. The service has been designed for people experiencing acute emotional distress who need immediate and short-term crisis prevention rather than intensive support from either an emergency or inpatient service. As an alliance member of Open Mental Health, we work in close partnership with Mind, Somerset Foundation Trust and other OMH partners.

What you will be doing

·  You will be providing a specialised role within the Crisis Safe Space Team.

·  As part of the wider team, you will start to build a trusting relationship with individuals while they are accessing the Crisis Safe Space.

·  Your role will be to meet and greet, assist with any enrolment/paperwork.

·  Offer support with signposting, feedback, and ongoing support for up to 6 weeks.

·  Working alongside the Senior and Mental Health Crisis Workers, meaning you will have access to constant support and guidance.

·  Welcoming service users attending appointments at the Crisis Safe Space: 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.

·  Offer to / make refreshments for service users when they arrive.

·  Help to improve wellbeing, self-confidence, and independence by exploring activities that promote these areas.

·  Ensure that professional boundaries are maintained to protect both yourself and the service user.

·  Debrief with the Senior or Mental Health Crisis Workers after your shift to discuss any concerns or queries.

·   Offer up to 6 phone call support for service users leaving the Crisis.

 If the service user experiences a mental health crisis relapse, during the follow up phone calls, then to escalate this to the Senior or Mental Health Crisis Workers on duty.

The skills you need

·    A passion for supporting others.

·  An awareness of self-management resources and coping strategies (you can ask your senior volunteer coordinator for support with this, if and when required).

·  A trauma-informed approach in all interactions.

·  An ability to empathise with others and form trusting relationships.

·  A non-judgemental approach and an ability to maintain appropriate boundaries.

·  Good listening and communication skills, reliability and good time keeping.

·  To embrace Second Step’s values: Believing in Hope and Courage; Succeeding Together; Building Trust; Celebrating Diversity; and Learning and Growing.

·  An ability to take responsibility for your own self-care and willingness to utilise the support and supervision provided by the Senior Volunteer Coordinator and Senior on duty.

·  The Crisis Safe Space is an out of hours service open daily between the hours of 17:30pm and 23:000pm, offering appointments over the phone, Zoom or in-person.

·  We welcome applications to those who can commit to a minimum of 1 evening per week. You will not be expected to do a full shift, unless you would like to. However any support given will be between those hours.

What's in it for you

·  Comprehensive induction training and full induction into your role.

·  On-going support whilst you volunteer.

·  Opportunities for personal development and progression.

·  Chance to build your CV and develop new skills.

·  Meet new people and volunteer alongside Second Step staff / partner agencies.

·  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

·  You will also have ongoing support and guidance from the Crisis Safe Space team during your shift, as well as an opportunity to debrief with a Senior member of staff before you finish.

·  Further Second Step training opportunities. Discuss with your Senior Volunteer Coordinator the current training offers.

Disclaimer

When you give us personal information, we do all we can to ensure that it is treated securely. Once we have received your information, we will take reasonable steps and all other precautions required by law to protect that information from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. We will not share your details with any third party for marketing purposes.

If required to do so by any applicable law, we may need to disclose some or all of your personal information to the level to which we are legally required to comply.