Become a volunteer Who are we? Why volunteer with us? How volunteers support us Our commitment to volunteers Who can volunteer? What we ask of volunteers Our volunteering roles How to apply Who are we? Bipolar UK was originally formed in the 1980s as a local support system for the community by the community. Our first meeting was held in 1983 and since that day Bipolar UK has supported people living with the condition and their loved ones. Today, Bipolar UK is the only national charity dedicated to empowering individuals and families affected by bipolar. Peer support is at the core of our work and many of our volunteering roles require lived experience of the condition. Our aim is to enable everyone affected by bipolar to live well. Each year we support thousands of individuals through our range of peer support services, which include: Peer Support Groups (in-person and online) A call-back Peer Support Line Our eCommunity Employment Support We are also working to reduce the risk of suicide in the bipolar community and to improve treatment and support for people with bipolar. You can read more about our campaigning work here In the years ahead, providing peer support services will remain central to everything we do. This vital work is only possible because of volunteers such as yourself. Why volunteer with us? How volunteers support us We couldn’t exist without the amazing support of our dedicated team of volunteers. They help us by giving us key insights from our community. They also provide hands-on support so we can run a significant network of peer support groups and a one-to-one peer support line via telephone and email. Thanks to the incredible collaboration between our staff team and our volunteers we currently empower approximately 1,000 people a month to stay well, and we have the ambition to reach thousands more. Our commitment to volunteers We want you to get the most out of volunteering with us and we take our responsibility towards you very seriously. To support you, we will: Provide clear descriptions for our volunteering roles Treat volunteers fairly and in accordance with the Bipolar UK Equal Opportunities policy Ensure volunteers’ information is kept securely and in accordance with Bipolar UK Privacy policy, the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR Keep volunteers informed of relevant changes, including to policies and staff Provide appropriate training and support to encourage and develop volunteers in every role Work collaboratively with all our volunteers to improve the services we deliver, identifying training needs and providing additional learning Ensure our volunteering practices are compliant with current and relevant legislation Reimburse agreed out of pocket expenses in line with Bipolar UK’s policy and guidance Celebrate and recognise all our volunteers’ successes and ongoing contributions to the charity Support aspirations to upskill with relevant training and development Training and development All volunteers are given an induction and training relevant to their role before they begin volunteering so they can feel confident to carry out their tasks. This induction and training may take place in person or online in a group session. As part of this induction, volunteers will receive: the manual for their volunteering role if relevant copies of relevant Bipolar UK policies any other appropriate documents Training is an ongoing commitment for both Bipolar UK staff and volunteers. Training sessions are usually held by the Bipolar UK team, although external training will be given whenever relevant and appropriate. Bipolar UK encourages volunteers to share any volunteering aspirations and tell us how we can support your development. For some this might be building confidence towards employment, for others sharing lived-experience can be a way to give something back to the community. Who can volunteer? As part of the volunteer recruitment process, we ask you to complete an application form. We will then invite you for an informal phone interview and ask you to provide two referees. Roles within Bipolar UK are subject to an enhanced DBS check. The information gathered throughout this process helps us to make an informed decision about whether the volunteering role is right for you, as well as following our safeguarding procedures. Should you have any questions about our DBS process or our policies, please get in touch at [email protected] Skills and experience We look for people who: Communicate well Enjoy teamwork Are able to adapt and willing to learn Are reliable, punctual and good at time management See situations with objectivity and compassion All our volunteers must be 18 or older. Bipolar UK is committed to embracing diversity by promoting and sustaining an open, inclusive and supportive environment. Bipolar UK will make sure that people are judged on their ability and potential, not on their background and situation. We will seek to treat people fairly, regardless of visible and non-visible differences such as mental health, health, gender, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious beliefs or practices, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, age, family/marital status, social background, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, caring responsibilities, spent criminal convictions or trade union affiliation. We appreciate that these differences will contribute to diverse experiences of life, attitudes, values, and ways of thinking and communicating - and that these different perspectives can make a valuable contribution to our work. If you would like to read our Diversity Policy, please email [email protected] What we ask of volunteers We ask that all volunteers commit to a minimum of two hours a week for at least six months wherever possible. We expect all volunteers to attend regular training as part of role development and progression, and to abide by our policies and guidelines. A commitment to our mission and values is imperative, along with a desire to make a difference to those affected by bipolar. All volunteers represent the charity and must always remain professional when interacting with the public and external services. Volunteers should: Have personal experience of bipolar if the role requires it Display empathy and understanding of the needs of others Understand and remain conscious of their own needs, including managing their own wellbeing Communicate effectively with the team Be always respectful of others, in line with Bipolar UK policies Have basic IT skills and computer literacy Our volunteering roles Support Group Co-facilitator (online) Support Group Co-facilitator (in-person) Support Group Administrator Peer Support Line Volunteer Media Ambassador Fundraising Assistant Events Assistant Support Group Co-facilitator (online) Our online co-facilitator role involves co-facilitating a regular online meeting on Zoom. You will need to have personal experience of bipolar and be IT literate with a basic understanding of Zoom - ie. know how to book in and schedule regular meetings. As part of the role there will be some monthly admin tasks: the completion of group reports, reporting of incidents during the meeting to Bipolar UK and sending group email reminders to members. You will also need to be empathetic, have excellent communication skills, including active listening, and be able to support attendees who may have tech issues. An ability to remain unbiased and objective in your approach is also essential in establishing a non-judgemental, safe environment, where attendees can share their experiences and support one another. All candidates for this role will also need to have a private space, such as a home office or bedroom, to be able to hold the meetings in line with our confidentiality policy and code of conduct. Support Group Co-facilitator (in-person) Our co-facilitator role involves co-facilitating a regular in-person meeting in the community. You will need to have personal experience of bipolar and excellent communication skills, including active listening. Ideally you will have some basic IT (Office 365 and Zoom) and some previous experience of running groups. As part of the role there will be some monthly admin tasks: the completion of group reports, reporting of incidents during the meeting to Bipolar UK and sending group email reminders to members. An ability to remain unbiased and objective in your approach is also essential in establishing a non-judgemental, safe environment, where attendees can share their experiences and support one another. Support Group Administrator Our Support Group Administrator gives a few hours each week to help behind the scenes at Bipolar UK’s online and in-person Support Groups locally and nationally. No personal experience of bipolar is needed. The role requires good IT skills (Zoom, Microsoft Word and Teams). You will need to be organised, punctual and reliable. Tasks may include sending out email invites, scheduling Zoom meetings and gathering meeting feedback. Peer Support Line Volunteer Our peer support line volunteers help people affected by bipolar through one-to-one telephone calls and emails. This includes using their skills and lived experience to offer reassurance, guidance and support to people who use our services, who may be pre- or post diagnosis, a family member, friend or carer. We also provide information to healthcare professionals. The calls and emails may be one-offs or part of a series of regular support offered to someone affected by bipolar. All our peer support line volunteers get regular one-to-one supervision with a member of the Peer Support team and regular refresher training and upskilling. We ask that all records of communications are produced on time to a high quality so they can be easily understood by other team members. Any cancellations or schedule changes need to be reported straight away. The skills and experience offered by this role are often transferable to other positions of employment, training or other volunteering opportunities both inside and outside of Bipolar UK. Volunteers for this role must have personal experience of bipolar (either a diagnosis or a loved one of someone with bipolar), empathy, good interpersonal and communication skills, good organisational skills, excellent IT literacy, and the time and willingness to attend all relevant training. Media Ambassador Bipolar UK is often contacted by journalists from magazines, national newspapers, TV and radio asking if we can set up an interview with someone affected by bipolar. It is useful for us to have a bank of people with a diagnosis of bipolar or their family/friends who we can contact when media opportunities arise. It is hoped that through this volunteer role we will be able to enhance public awareness and understanding of bipolar, and to address stigma and misinformation in media representations of bipolar. Events Assistant Bipolar UK regularly hosts all kinds of events, both locally and nationally, in-person and online. In some cases, we may require volunteers for these roles. We will advertise our event volunteering roles on our website, but you are welcome to reach out to the events team at [email protected] for more information about these roles and how you can help. No personal experience of bipolar is needed. We are also happy to hear from anyone who has specific skills that may be helpful to the charity’s work. These could include: Website support SEO copywriting Data analysis (Google Analytics) Marketing/design How to apply Download and complete our volunteer application form Send your completed application form to the relevant email address below. For support group co-facilitator roles, email [email protected] For the media ambassador role, email [email protected] For all other roles and general enquiries, email [email protected] Last updated: 20 September 2023 Manage Cookie Preferences