New Volunteers needed!

Mikeysline Wants You

Our volunteers are the backbone of Mikeysline, supporting us from the very beginning, generously giving their time, experience, energy and commitment to help others.

We provide essential peer support, so our volunteers tend to have firsthand experience of mental health challenges in some aspect of their life, be it their own, friends, family, or professionally. But whatever your background, anyone who wants to help others, has the ability to listen and be empathetic with a desire to support people at an extremely difficult point in their lives, is most welcome to apply.

The truth is we could always do with more help.

There are lots of ways you can help Mikeysline as a volunteer, it all depends on you, and how much time you can give.

• Providing direct support to adults and young people through our digital text-based support services
• Working with us in providing in person support to services users in the Hive Inverness or one of our outreach Hives
• Supporting us to raise awareness about our work & break down the stigma of mental health & suicide through attending events and distributing leaflets on our behalf
• Helping us to fundraise/fundraising on our behalf
• Providing admin/social media support

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS (HIGHLANDS, ISLANDS & MORAY)

We are always in need of Community Volunteers from all over the areas mentioned above, so wherever you are located, we would love to chat with you if you may be interested in joining our team! At the moment we are very much in need of Community Volunteers located in the areas where we have Hives – Thurso, Alness, Tain, Inverness, Nairn and Elgin and we would also love to hear from you if you live in Skye.

So what’s involved in the role?

????You would represent Mikeysline by helping set up and man stalls at events; provide leaflets; exchange merchandise for donations

????You may also represent Mikeysline by attending events organised by external organisation’s fundraising events, such as gigs, quiz nights, festivals, sports events and so on

????Keep us in the loop about events going on in your own area which you would think we should attend to help raise awareness

????Help to identify places where our posters/banners could be promoted

????Share our social media posts

????Help to identify businesses in your local community who would be happy to take a collection tin. Helping collect and replace tins

????Help Mikeysline to set up Community Volunteer Teams in those locations by spreading the word with colleagues and friends, that there are Community Volunteering roles available. There may also be potential for Senior Community Volunteer roles to be created in specific communities, providing opportunities for people to utilise their own transferable work-related skills and experience

So what does the commitment look like?

There is really no pressure as it’s dependant on your availability, but we would hope that you would engage with us regularly and help with events as much as you can. Most events take place at the weekends but there are also occasional evening events.

Who would the Community Volunteers be working with at Mikeysline?

Our Community Volunteers work with our Events & Fundraising Co-Ordinators and our Bee The Change Manager.

Please find our application form below. As we work with vulnerable individuals all applicants require 2 satisfactory references and a Protection Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check as part of our recruitment process.

PEER SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS – FOR THE DIGITAL TEXTLINE SERVICE, OR, FOR IN PERSON SUPPORT IN OUR HIVES

So what’s involved in the roles?

???? You will receive induction training,

????Following induction training you will provide peer support to adults and young people, who are based in the Highlands, Islands & Moray, either via our digital textbased system or in person support from within one of our Hives. There is always a staff member on call throughout the textline shifts as well as within the Hives, so don’t worry, you will not be completely on your own.

????As part of your induction, you will be expected to complete some mandatory mental health related online training in your own time. The training at induction stage relates to adult support and protection, child protection and suicide intervention and prevention. As a member of our team you will also be kept up to date with additional relevant training as it becomes available. Mikeysline prides itself in ensuring that everyone in our team is offered and engages with training opportunities whenever it is possible for you to do so.

????You will require basic computer skills and ideally you will have access to your own laptop.

????You will be assigned a support staff ‘buddy’ who will check in with you and also share any relevant information with you.

????You will be contacted to confirm your availability for shifts well in advance so that you can plan around those.

????As a member of our team, there will be an expectation for you to respond to internal communications, especially in relation to shifts.  However, we endeavour to keep our communications to a minimum.

????You will be invited to attend a monthly team meeting. Your attendance is subject to your availability.

So what does the commitment look like?

Ideally, we are looking for a regular commitment of at least one to two shifts per month.

Who would the Peer Support Volunteers be working with at Mikeysline?

Our Office Manager co-ordinates the peer support volunteer team on a day to day basis and you will get to know her at the beginning of your journey with Mikeysline. She will be in regular contact with you and particularly in relation to making arrangements with you re your availability for shifts. You will also get to know your staff buddy, as well as the support staff, volunteer team and everyone else at Mikeysline as your journey with us continues.

PEER SUPPORT VOLUNTEERING VACANCIES ARE SUBJECT TO THE CURRENT NEEDS OF THE SERVICE, SO PLEASE DO EMAIL US TO CONFIRM THAT THE ROLE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN IS AVAILABLE, PRIOR TO COMPLETING THE APPLICATION FORM. 

As we work with vulnerable individuals all applicants require 2 satisfactory references and a Protection Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check as part of our recruitment process. 

Please complete an application form for a volunteering role. You can either print a version off and send it to us, at 4 Strothers Lane, Inverness, IV1 1LR or complete online and e-mail it to us at: enquiries@mikeysline.co.uk