“WE CARE” Peer Support Volunteer

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: Joanne Cleland, Program Manager

PURPOSE OF POSITION:  To provide “We Care” packages and peer support to Mental Health inpatients

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• to provide peer support and understanding to mental health inpatient participants
• to make hospital visits with another  volunteer as required
• to provide “We Care” hygiene packages to staff-referred or self-referred patients
• to attend monthly peer support volunteer meetings
• to report to the Program Manager statistics of number of packages given out each week and the number of inpatients requesting peer support
• to seek assistance from the supervisor when guidance is needed for the participant/volunteer relationship
• to maintain confidentiality of participants, volunteers and staff of the “We Care” program

HOURS/LOCATION:

• We Care runs every Friday at Brant Community Healthcare System from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. except for the first week of each month when we attend on Thursday from 10:00am to 11:00am
• We Care volunteers are asked to commit to two Fridays per month

QUALIFICATIONS:

• sociable and friendly
• respectful of others
• *current or former user of mental health services
• able to maintain responsible boundaries with others
• able to feel comfortable in the hospital setting
• satisfactory police record check
• successful completion of Peer Helper Training and additional Hospital Training

TRAINING PROVIDED:

• 28 hours of peer support training (after 6 months of volunteering)
• 4 hours of job shadowing a peer support worker
• Orientation to the We Care group at the hospital
• ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
• Mental Health First Aid

SUPERVISION PROVIDED:

• Debriefing with Program Manager after each hospital presentation
• Monthly group meetings with other We Care volunteers