MHELO Steering Group Volunteer

Summary of the Role:

As a MHELO Steering Group member, you will join others to share your views with services like the NHS. Together, we work to improve mental health support. As well as attending the Steering Group, we are looking for people to support with research, attending events and providing feedback from these to other Steering Group members.

Role Purpose

Help to create the MHELO project plan by sharing ideas. Help with the planning and take action to meet an agreed project plan. Steering Group members will use their own lived experience, knowledge, and skills to do this.

Time commitment: You should come to at least half of the meetings. Meetings are held every 6 weeks for 60 - 90 minutes. Meetings are on a Thursday, usually from 10am onwards. Volunteers will also have regular, planned supervisions with the Project Coordinator. How often you meet will depend on the number of hours you volunteer.

Days: You will need to be available to attend the Steering Group meetings on a Thursday morning.

Locations: Remote (working from home) or in person at the office. There are opportunities to meet the coordinator in person at the Inclusion Gloucestershire offices.

Main Tasks:

· Share ideas about what MHELO should focus on and agree on a project plan as part of the MHELO Steering Group.

· Help with the planning and delivery of actions that meet MHELO’s project plan.

· Share ideas for the content of Steering Group agendas.

· Research agreed themes and issues.

· Attend agreed events, including focus groups and Steering Group meetings.

· Share feedback from research, events and discussions with members to inform the MHELO Steering Group.

· Share ideas or articles to a quarterly newsletter that looks at mental health within Gloucestershire.

· Meet agreed deadlines.

· Optionally, champion MHELO within your community so that we can reach a wider network of people. Support us at events where we are promoting our Self-Care Toolkit and recruiting volunteers.

What we are looking for:

· Lived experience of mental ill health and mental health services in a personal capacity.

· Understanding the needs of people with mental health and their carers.

· Commitment to working as a group in a shared way, including appreciating different points of view and being focused on finding helpful solutions.

· A team player able to show empathy and kindness, respecting the choices and differences of others.

· Good communication skills, including active listening and the ability to represent others’ views and ideas.

· Able to put people at ease and build rapport with others.

· Able to work independently with guidance and support.

· Able to read documents provided in English and sent by email.

· Honest, reliable and trustworthy to handle confidential information.

· Able to attend meetings either in person or virtually.

· Basic IT and organisational skills, for example, being able to use the internet, send emails and join an online meeting.

· Experience of being a member of a working group or similar would be desirable.

· Committed to working to Inclusion Gloucestershire’s values and mission.

What we can offer you:

· All volunteers complete mandatory training, including professional boundaries training, health and safety, safeguarding, and GDPR.

· Regular supervision, volunteer meetings and contact with the volunteer and MHELO coordinator.

· Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.

· Information about other things that are happening including volunteering and paid work opportunities when these arise.