Volunteering for SANEmail

1. Volunteering for SANEmail

Volunteers are the backbone of SANEmail, providing emailers with emotional support and practical help. Each of our fully trained volunteers, offer a four-hour shift per week. The number of emails received by SANEmail continues to increase so we are constantly looking for new volunteers to respond to messages.

Volunteering is a richly rewarding experience. Volunteers know that they are contributing to a vital service that wouldn?t exist without them. They also receive a dynamic training which they can apply to their career and their everyday life. Volunteers can be confident of receiving quality training to develop the knowledge and skills they need to effectively respond to emails so that they will have a positive and valuable experience with SANEmail.

2. Volunteer Training

Volunteers do not need any previous experience. Full training is provided. SANEmail's training team are highly experienced professionals with a range of knowledge and skills in the field of mental health and training.

As a potential volunteer, you will learn to provide effective support and information for emailers. The training programme includes:

• Effective e-listening and email response skills; responding to emailers who may be suicidal, psychotic, or caring for someone with a mental illness
• Providing appropriate information, using the SANE Information Database, to give emailers options for action
• Mental health awareness, including major illnesses, symptoms and treatments, and how mental health problems affect individuals and carers/relatives
• The UK mental health system; how it works, roles of mental health professionals and the basics of mental health law
• Treatments; medication and side effects; complementary therapy, psychotherapy and talking treatments

The SANEmail Volunteer Training Programme begins with a 4 day Introductory Course that takes place during weekends.

Why volunteer for SANEmail?

Volunteering can be a truly rewarding experience and, at SANEmail, volunteers provide an invaluable support service to those often ignored and stigmatised by the rest of society. As well as receiving the full training in all the skills listed above, many SANEmail volunteers feel that they have gained from the experience, for example, in the following ways:

• increasing their own and others? mental health awareness
• gaining perspective into different situations, enabling personal insight and growth
• considering a career change or applying to do a course
• talking to people from all walks of life
• meeting and socialising with other volunteers
• attending ongoing training sessions and talks on a variety of topics
• the opportunity to be involved in other areas of the charity, such as fundraising or awareness

Please note, SANEmail will reimburse volunteer travel expenses within zones 1-6 and can provide a reference once you are fully qualified.

3. Applying to become a volunteer

What happens when I apply?

The first step is to attend an Introduction Session and then complete and send in your application form. If you are assessed as suitable, you will be invited onto a Selection Day a four and a half hour session involving group discussions and an interview.

If you are accepted, you will be invited on to the Training Course. This includes e-role-plays, group work, talks, information on mental health, telephone and computer work, interviews and so on.

Once you have passed the training, you will be on probation for your first eight shifts, followed by an interview. On successful completion of this, you will then become a fully-fledged volunteer! SANEmail runs several ongoing training sessions throughout the year, including Refresher Days and workshops for volunteers.

Please consider the following carefully before applying to be a SANEmail volunteer:

• Are you able to e-listen to others without passing judgement?
• Do you feel you could respond calmly and with empathy to people in distress?
• Are you able to give over forty hours of your time to training?
• Can you give four hours each week to volunteer at SANEmail?
• Can you commit yourself to SANEmail for a minimum of 192 hours of shifts (the equivalent of a year) or more?
• Are you within travelling distance of London?

If your answer is "Yes" to all of the above questions and feel ready to apply, click here.