For more information about Carlisle Eden Mind go to or

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1 Role Description Peer Support Volunteer Are you looking for a rewarding volunteer role? Are you a good listener? Do you want to help support someone through a mental health crisis? Have you had experience of mental health problems yourself? Do you have an evening free? Carlisle Eden Mind is an established local mental health charity providing a range of services and support for individuals experiencing mental health problems. During 2017 we will be expanding our range of crisis services and are looking for a team of volunteers to work within our exciting new evening based community mental health crisis centre in Carlisle. The service, based on successful crisis café models across the UK, will support people in emergent mental health crisis or those at risk of relapse. The service will run in the evenings from 6pm to 1am, will be based in Carlisle City Centre, and will deliver a range of social interventions aimed at de-escalation of distress, development of Safe/Crisis Plans, self-management and signposting to other agencies. A crucial part of the service will be Peer Support Volunteers. Many people who have experienced a mental health crisis say that having a safe space, time to be listened to, and to be taken seriously, can be hugely effective in helping them move through their distress. Our team of Peer Support Volunteers will be on call to support individuals face-to-face at the centre, and through our MindLine. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who relishes the opportunity to help other at times of real need. Volunteers will be given a full range of training, including MHFA (Mental Health First Aid), ASIST (Suicide Intervention Skills Training), listening skills and others. Volunteers will be supported by staff on duty during their shifts and can expect to work within a tight and supportive team environment. Regular group support/supervision sessions will be provided. An opportunity for volunteers to talk through how they are doing, discuss difficulties/successes with the role and to offer feedback on the effectiveness of the service. Volunteer shifts run 6pm to midnight 7 days a week, and we are looking for volunteers to make a commitment to regular half or full shift each week. Though we are open to applications from all members of our local community we are particularly keen to recruit volunteers who have had personal experience of mental health problems and/or mental health crisis. For more information about Carlisle Eden Mind go to or For more information about this volunteering opportunity contact Tara Quinn or Chris Wood on or tara.quinn@cemind.org or chris.wood@cemind.org An application form on the following pages.

2 Volunteer Application Form Peer Support Volunteer Carlisle Crisis Centre Name Address Telephone Mobile How did you find out about volunteering opportunities at Carlisle Eden Mind? Availability The service runs 6pm to midnight 7 days a week. Please indicate which days/times you might be available on a regular basis; Day 6pm 9pm 9pm - Midnight Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

3 What are your reasons for wanting to become a volunteer with the Carlisle Eden Mind? What skills and experience will you bring to the role (Including voluntary, paid work, life experience and training/education)? Do you have any support needs or access requirements we should be aware of?

4 Please give the details of two people (not related to you) who are prepared to act as a referee on your behalf. We will write to these people as part of the volunteer recruitment process. Referee One Referee Two Name: Address: Name: Address: Tel: Tel: Volunteering will involve contact with vulnerable adults, and volunteers will be subject to a check by the Disclosure and Barring Service. We will not though rule out applications from ex-offenders but we need to know facts to make a considered judgement. Please give details of convictions for criminal offences. Declaration I declare that to the best of my knowledge the information given in this application form is true and complete. Signature Date.. Please return this form to: Carlisle Eden Mind 49 Bank Street, Carlisle CA3 8HJ Or to office@cemind.org

5 About Carlisle Eden Mind Carlisle Eden Mind has been providing frontline services to vulnerable and disadvantaged people with mental health problems for over 25 years. Demand for our services has increased steadily over the last ten years, and we have increasingly been called upon to support people who are falling between the gaps in local health and social care services, or are facing multiple crisis issues, as a result of Local Authority or NHS spending cuts and welfare reforms. Carlisle Eden Mind supports 1200 people a year with mental health problems through delivery of face to face services and support including advocacy, advice, information, befriending, supported volunteering and so on. We support a further 1,500 people per year through phone/text/web based information, guidance and emotional support. We increasingly work with people in mental health crisis through delivery of the Cumbria MindLine, and Connect, a multi-agency support service for people experiencing dual mental health and hardship crisis. We now work with over 120 children and young people a year experiencing emotional and mental distress through our targeted advocacy services and provide mental health awareness raising and peer support training within many Cumbria Secondary Schools as part of the Headstart programme, training over 2, year olds during 2015/16. We actively work to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health problems through campaigning, training and outreach work, reaching hundreds of members of the public of all ages each year as well as countywide media campaigning and awareness raising. We deliver Cumbria s adult suicide prevention training programme, and self-harm and suicide prevention training programme for children and young people s workers. During 2016/17 we have trained over 1,750 frontline workers. Our services and training are delivered by a team of over 23 dedicated and skilled staff, supported by over 100 active volunteers. For more information about Carlisle Eden Mind go to or