What our volunteers say:
We have a range of volunteering opportunities available. These include
providing telephone support on our confidential listening service Mindline,
assisting with our ecotherapy projects, office admin and fundraising among
others, but why should you volunteer with Mind in Taunton and West Somerset? We
thought we'd allow a couple of our volunteers to let you know first-hand:
"I have been volunteering for Mindline for over 5 years now.
I began volunteering because I had some free time on my hands and had suffered
mental distress myself. I felt devalued by the mental health system and decided
I had to do something productive. I have a good understanding of a lot of real
issues and I have valuable skills to put to use. I am not a useless mental
patient with nothing to offer.
I had also begun studying part time for a degree and figured that the work
experience could be useful.
Working on the helpline has increased my confidence and shown me that I do have
the ability to make a difference. I have knowledge, empathy and compassion and
listening to people talk is important.
And having been through the system myself I understand how traumatic this can be
for an individual.
I have met a lot of interesting people through my volunteering and have made
some very good friends. I would describe the volunteers as a group of supportive
people making a real difference. I would recommend volunteering to anyone. We
all have a range of life experiences and skills that can be used to help others.
Why not start now"
by Mindline volunteer Caroline
"Before I was retired on ill-health grounds I was employed as a Manager in a
local bank. Due to the stigma attached to mental illness I saw my experience of
it as the ‘Ultimate Sin.’ However, I now acknowledge that times have changed
somewhat since the mid nineties, in so far as how mental illness is treated and
viewed in society, and especially of late by the media treatment of celebrities.
It seems that some forms of mental illness are now almost fashionable.
I have been an admin volunteer with Mind in Taunton and West Somerset since
November 2007. Before starting to help out at the local Mind association I was
particularly interested in the way in which mental health had been dealt with in
the early part of the Twentieth Century.
Initially, as my confidence was at a low ebb, I was content to be involved in
somewhat mundane and repetitive tasks. I helped out by addressing envelopes,
putting volunteer packs together, and other simple administrative tasks.
Following some staffing changes in the Autumn of 2009 Andy Pritchard, the
Mindline Somerset Manager and latterly Assistant Director, who had joined the
organisation shortly after me, spoke to me to discuss whether there was any more
that I wished to contribute. He was keen to unlock my potential and take
advantage of my life experience, so that I felt stimulated, as well as helping
Mind. Consequently I helped to make significant changes to the look of our
website. I am particularly proud that I organised the inclusion of the A-Z
orange box on Mental Health. At the click of a mouse this takes you to the
national Mind website, providing guidance on all the key mental health questions
24/7. I also liaised with the national Mind to keep our entry up to date.
With Andy’s help, support and encouragement I really feel that I have made
headway. My confidence and self-esteem are much improved. I am much more
self-assured when contacting people by telephone or e-mail.
In late May 2010 Andy and I went to Dillington House, near Ilminster, to run
a stall at a GPs’ Mental Health Study and Awareness Day. Several useful contacts
were made there with staff from GPs surgeries across the breadth of Somerset.
It could be argued that by only spending two hours a week at Mind that my
contribution is insignificant. However, I find that my short time there is spent
effectively in a role helping out as required, perhaps more on the Mindline
side, than anywhere else. I regularly feel that my contribution is appreciated
by the Mind staff, and that I am made to feel welcome.
I would recommend anyone to join us and see how beneficial helping out can be
for your own personal development. This is an environment that specifically
caters for those who need to be encouraged, and helps them to have better mental
health and well-being in their life."
by Tim, Admin Volunteer |
