Volunteer Mentors
In order to aid the POINT project, Hull and East Yorkshire Mind are recruiting volunteer mentors who will be able to undertake various activities with the clients. This opportunity is a valuable addition to any CV!
How can I get involved?
To apply to be a volunteer mentor, please download and fill in the application form provided below. Please send your completed form to Volunteer Mentoring Project, Trafalgar House, 41 - 45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH or alternatively call 01482 240200/ email: lharwood@mindhey.co.uk for more information.
Please note we are not recruiting for volunteer mentors at the moment, but when we are recruiting we will update this page. However, if you would like to register your interest to be a volunteer mentor please fill out the application below.
Download the application form here
Some background information
There are many social factors that contribute towards or can exacerbate mental health conditions – for example debt, problems with benefits, accessing training or employment, social isolation etc. It has been identified that many people who access their GPs with mental health issues, rather than needing medical intervention would benefit from engagement with activities that address any social underlying risk factors, such as those above, and strengthen and protect positive mental health.
This has lead to the development of a concept called ‘Social Prescribing’ which is a process for linking patients with common mental health problems in primary care with non-medical sources of support in the local community.
The POINT Project
In order to do this Hull and East Yorkshire Mind has initiated a project – POINT (Prescribing on individual needs together). Where a GP feels a patient would benefit from some type of social intervention they will refer the patient to the Single Point of Access Team who then in turn will refer the person to the Hull and East Yorkshire Mind POINT worker.
The POINT worker will meet with the client and work with them to see what social issues they may need to address. They will help them to formulate an action plan to be able to move forward with these issues and they will provide any information or guidance needed. They will meet with the client on a further occasion to review the progress and on a final occasion for a final review.
What type of work can I expect to be doing?
However one of the issues that has emerged is that some clients need more direct assistance in undertaking the activities in their action plan for which, due to time constraints, it is not possible for POINT workers themselves to undertake. Such activities range from filling out benefits forms, to attending appointments with other agencies, to accessing social activities, or even just having someone to chat to.
In order to address that gap Hull and East Yorkshire Mind are recruiting volunteer mentors who will be able to undertake such activities with the clients. The volunteer mentors will undergo thorough training and then be carefully matched with a client who they will hopefully build up a good and trusting relationship with. They will help the client to undertake any activities identified by the POINT worker that they may have difficulty in doing without the more direct support that a mentor can provide. The mentor will provide regular feedback to the POINT worker who will use this information to review the progress of the action plan.