Anxiety UK actively promotes the inclusion of volunteers in all aspects of its work and recognises the vital role that volunteers contribute to the organisation.
There are currently over 500 volunteers throughout the UK carrying out roles for Anxiety UK in a wide range of capacities: counsellors, clinical hypnotherapists, helpline volunteers, self-help group facilitators, office administrators, technical support, PR and media volunteers, cognitive behavioural therapists, management committee members/trustees, community befrienders, specialist phone-in helpline volunteers, finance assistants and many more.
Anxiety UK has achieved the ‘Investing in Volunteers’ Quality Standard, recognising the excellent work we do with volunteers.
‘Investing in Volunteers’ is the UK quality standard for all organisations involving volunteers. It is the only quality standard that has independent external validation with a UK Quality Assurance Panel that makes recommendations to the UK Volunteering Forum, the awarding body.
Some ways of volunteering with Anxiety UK include:
- Supporting those with personal experience of anxiety disorders
- Student placements and work experience
- Other volunteering opportunities
Supporting those with personal experience of anxiety disorders
Because Anxiety UK is a user-led organisation, we actively seek to recruit those with direct experience of anxiety disorders and recognise the invaluable role such volunteers play in being able to relate to and support others in similar predicaments.
We acknowledge that for many anxiety sufferers, deciding to do voluntary work can often be a very big step and there can be many barriers that prevent people from taking up voluntary work.
Anxiety UK has a policy of ensuring that volunteering opportunities are tailor-made to suit the needs of each individual. If, for example, you have agoraphobia and are unable to travel to our offices, we can find alternative ways of ensuring you can contribute to our work and still be an active volunteer and member of the team. In addition, Anxiety UK’s office in Manchester has a warm, supportive environment and is entirely staffed by those with personal experience of anxiety and acts as informal transitional employment for those whose long-term goal is to get back into employment.
Helpline training
Anxiety UK Helpline training
Anxiety UK provides comprehensive training for helpline volunteers. The training takes place over 2 days and incorporates both a full overview of anxiety disorders and the services Anxiety UK provides, but also incoporates the SCAN system (developed by the University of Manchester), - an evidence based program which trains attendees to carry out a brief assessment and move towards collaborative decision making and next steps.
Attendance on both days is mandatory. A refundable deposit of £25 is required (refunded upon completion of both training days). You can pay this fee by clicking here.
As the position of helpline volunteer entails working with vulnerable adults, all helpline volunteers are required to undertake an enhanced Criminal Record Bureau Disclosure check. The cost of this is £15 (which is refunded once a month’s volunteering activity has been undertaken). You can pay your CRB fee by clicking here.
Role descriptions and person specifications
Click on a link to view the description and person specfication. All files are in PDF format.
- Helpline volunteers – Manchester only
- Specialist helpline volunteers
- Role Description for mentors – Manchester only
Student placements and work experience
Over the years, Anxiety UK has been able to offer placements for a variety of students at the Manchester office and at alternative locations.
Examples of previous and ongoing placements are:-
- Social work placements for those on the Dip SW course (a partnership programme with Manchester Metropolitan University)
- Information technology placements for those on IT courses
PR Volunteering – We do a huge amount of PR work at Anxiety UK, primarily with national media. This is an opportunity for the right person/people to get some excellent PR experience dealing with day to day media relations at a busy charity. Training, support and supervision provided. This position is based in Manchester.
Download more information about the PR Volunteer role here
Other volunteering opportunities
Please click here for more information about volunteering as a therapist with Anxiety UK
-
How to apply to volunteer
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with Anxiety UK, simply fill in the relevant application form: .
Alternatively you can download and complete the volunteer application form, and return it to the below address.
Please ensure that you complete the Approved Therapist Application Form if you are applying to join our team of therapists. We will be unable to process your therapist application without the £25 admin fee.Anxiety UK
Zion Community Resource Centre
339 Stretford Road
Hulme
Manchester
M15 4ZY
Download the Volunteer application form
