Support Services Volunteer – Helpline and text-based services (women only)

If you are looking for a supportive role and new challenge, then this is just the role for you. Self injury Support has been supporting women and girls affected by self harm, trauma, and distress for over 30 years and we're looking for new volunteers to help us continue delivering our vital support services.

Our fantastic team of Support Service Volunteers provide valuable non-judgemental support to women and girls affected by self harm via helpline, text, email, and webchat. They make it possible to continue running our services and make an incredible difference to the people in need who contact us. 

Why volunteer? 

• Be part of a service offering meaningful support to women and girls of all ages across the UK affected by self injury 
• Participate in an extensive training programme delivered by staff with a wealth of experience and expertise in self injury and related issues 
• Develop valuable skills and knowledge in active listening, self injury, trauma, mental health, and many more topics 
• A great chance to meet supportive, like-minded peers on shift and at volunteer days where you'll also get additional relevant training 
• Get monthly confidential supervision sessions as part of volunteering with us, ensuring that you're always supported in the work you're doing 

What it’s like being a volunteer? 

• When you first join our team, you’ll take part in our 5-day mandatory training course. The training is a great opportunity to meet new people and learn the valuable skills you’ll take with you into the work. Our training course covers listening skills, self injury, supporting suicidal callers, understanding the impact of trauma and abuse, mental health awareness, and reflective practice. 
• You’ll start out initially on our helpline service and a few months in, once you’re confident in the work, you get further training to start supporting our service users via text, webchat, and email. 
• During your volunteering shifts, you’ll answer calls, texts, webchats, or email from women and girls across the UK and offer them confidential emotional support. The work can be challenging but highly rewarding. 
• You’ll come along to our volunteer days throughout the year where you have a chance to get some additional training, reflective team practice, and socialise with the whole volunteer team. 
• Each month, you’ll come along to a free individual supervision session with one of our service coordinators. Here, you’ll have a safe and confidential space to reflect on the work and it’s impact on you, and talk through any issues. 

Who can volunteer? 

• We are looking for women to join our wonderful team who are passionate about supporting other women and creating a safe, non-judgemental space where women can get emotional support with anything that they’re going through. 
• We welcome volunteers of all backgrounds and life experiences. You may have your own experiences of self injury or mental ill health or be keen to learn more about how to support others through these experiences. 
• You don’t need previous helpline or counselling experience, just an open mind, a commitment to the role, and a willingness to learn. 
• We ask all our volunteers to commit to volunteering on the service one night per week for 1 year after the training ends. 
• All our services run from our offices in central Bristol, so ideally, you’ll live locally or be able to travel in easily. 
• Before you start volunteering with us, we’ll do an Enhanced DBS check. 

We are looking for women volunteers with the following skills/experiences: 

• Empathy for others and understanding that everyone's personal situation is unique 
• Experience of listening to/supporting others in a personal or professional capacity 
• Ability to listen/respond supportively without giving advice 
• Willingness to be honest about own feelings and engage in supportive supervision 
• Awareness of own emotional support needs 
• Reliability and good time-keeping 
• Able to commit to Self Injury's Support's Policies on Confidentiality and Equal Opportunities. 

We are especially keen to recruit volunteers who identify as women and who are flexible, adaptable and open to new learning experiences. You don’t have to have previous experience of counselling or support roles, just be committed, have the right attitude and be willing to learn.