Volunteering opportunities

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Welfare Benefits Clinic volunteers

We currently have volunteering placements available with the Islington Mind Welfare Benefits Clinic. The Clinic runs from our head office on Fridays and provides vital support to our service users in accessing welfare benefits.

The role will involve supporting Islington Mind service users with applying for Personal Independence Payment, Employment and Support Allowance, and Universal Credit. This includes the completing of benefit forms, corresponding with the Department of Work and Pensions, and accompanying service users to health assessments. The role therefore requires a familiarity with Microsoft Word and a good level of written English. An insight and understanding of mental distress is also needed as you will be engaging in difficult conversations. This is intense but rewarding and vital work as you will be supporting people to access essential income. It would be an advantage to have interest and understanding of the benefits system.

Please note this is not a clinical or therapeutic role and involves providing practical support.

We ask for a commitment of at least 1 full year one day a week on Fridays (+ about 2-3 months for DBS check and induction), although there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer more than one day a week should you wish to do so. Induction and training to this role will be provided as well as regular support and supervision. Travel and lunch expenses will be reimbursed. And work references provided after completion of one year volunteering.

If this sounds interesting and suitable to you, please complete the application form and return with your CV and a letter of interest, indicating why are you interested in the role. Send these to rosa.morris@islingtonmind.org.uk

Outcome LGBTIQ+ project volunteers

Outcome is the LGBTIQ+ specialist service of Islington Mind, offering support to LGBTIQ+ people who experience mental distress within Islington and across London.

We are open every Tuesday online and in-person at our day centre in Crouch Hill. We offer a safe and supportive therapeutic drop-in, as well as activities including art, yoga, walking group, running group, inclusive gender-specific groups, and creative writing.

We are also open on Wednesdays for a specific project supporting LGTBIQ+ people seeking asylum or who are already refugees. In this space, we offer a drop-in as well as more intensive mental health and practical support.

Mental Health support volunteer

We are looking to offer volunteering placements on either Tuesday or Wednesday (or both) to candidates who identify as members of the LGBTIQ+ community. Candidates need to be able to commit to at least 12 months volunteering one full day a week with us (in addition to around 1-2 months for DBS check and induction). Candidates should have an interest in supporting a mental health-focused project, working within a client-led setting to deliver activities, and helping clients who experience mental distress in group settings.

Outcome is a hybrid service (in-person and online) for the foreseeable future and volunteers will be expected to support the online service on Zoom and attend the day centre in-person.

Regular supervision as well as training opportunities will be provided.

For an application form please contact Maria Yianni maria.yianni@islingtonmind.org.uk