Volunteer Inpatient Befriender

This is a new and exciting volunteering role at within our Adult Inpatient Mental Health Services.
We are looking for a friendly, and enthusiastic person who has knowledge of Mental Health to visit patients on our ward and give them time to express their thoughts and feelings
If you want to gain experience, improve your job prospects, or just want to give some of your time to help others, this volunteering role could be for you!
Main duties of the job
This role is intended to help improve patients own feeling of wellbeing by giving them your time and through communication, discussion, available resources e.g. newspapers, games, and encouraging engagement in therapeutic activity.
What the role involves:
To build trusting relationships with identified patients.
Use a language that you have in common with the patient
To allow patient time to express themselves.
To give patients regular designated time if required.
To encourage and support identified patients to interact.
To encourage participation and give individuals support with the therapeutic programme.
To support patients to provide feedback on their experience.
DBS Level for this role is : Enhanced with adult barred list
The knowledge, skills and attributes required for the role:
Knowledge of Mental Health
Good communication skills.
Ability to effectively engage patients, carers and staff
Ability to use own initiative
An awareness of how to maintain confidentiality
Punctuality and reliability.
What we hope you gain from the role
Our thanks and appreciation
New skills and knowledge
Satisfaction from helping others
Please note : To meet our Trust’s safeguarding obligations applicants for this volunteer role must be aged 18 or over.
We offer opportunities in other services for people aged 16 and 17, please contact the volunteer service to discuss these roles
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
We are proud to provide high quality mental health and learning disability services, both inpatient and in the community across five boroughs of Greater Manchester - Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop.
Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We're really proud of our #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we are a great place to work.
We want our volunteers to reflect the diversity of the people we support, and we encourage and welcome applications from people across all our communities.
Volunteer Recruitment
Applying to become a volunteer may seem a little daunting for some people however, the volunteer service is here to guide and support you through the process. Please contact us on 0161 716 3365 or email volunteering.penninecare@nhs.net if you would like support to complete the online application form
Please be aware that due to the robust process, recruitment can sometimes take a few weeks.
Throughout the process you will have informal meetings with us and the service where you will be volunteering. In addition to this we will require you to:
Complete an identity (ID) check
Complete a Disclosure and Barring Service* (DBS) check,
Complete an Occupational health assessment
Give details for two references
Complete relevant training.

• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

DBS checks for volunteers are free and the level of check is dependent on the role you are undertaking.
We encourage applicants to join the DBS Update Service which is also free for volunteers. You can find information on the DBS Update Service here: www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
We look forward to you joining us and making a difference.