Volunteering with the Information Service
Our Information Service volunteers provide information, signposting, and emotional support to our daytime callers. We give our volunteers full training, and expect them to take one 3.5 hour shift each week.
What is the Information Service?
Bristol Mind’s information service is a daytime telephone line and email service, offering information, signposting, and emotional support. The service is non-directive – we don’t tell people what to do, or give advice.
The service is open from 9:30am to 3:30pm every weekday, excluding bank holidays, and receives a wide variety of callers. Many of our callers see us as a first port of call for mental health issues – and our volunteers speak to people at every stage in their journey. We can also provide information to people who are concerned about someone else, and will do our best to assist professionals.
The service can be reached on 0117 980 0370, or by email at info@bristolmind.org.uk. Outside of our opening times, we have a voicemail service in operation. Volunteers currently work remotely to deliver the service due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What we offer you:
- Extensive training, covering all areas of the role and the organisation
- Regular supervision
- An on-call support duty staff member during every shift
- Travel expenses when working from the Bristol Mind office
- The opportunity to develop your skills and build knowledge
What we expect from you:
- An agreement to volunteer with us for at least nine months
- Full attendance at the volunteer training sessions
- An empathetic, non-judgemental attitude towards our callers
- Working one 3.5 hour shift each week, and keeping staff informed in a timely manner when this isn’t possible
- Engagement with the supervision process
- Attendance at Team Meetings each quarter
How to volunteer:
We’re not currently recruiting for Information Service volunteers. If you’d like to be informed the next time opportunities arise, please sign up to our mailing list.