Volunteer With Us - Anxiety UK

Become a volunteer

As Anxiety UK is a user-led organisation, run by and for those with anxiety, if you have personal experience of anxiety and would like to volunteer, we’d love to hear from you.

We currently have over 800 volunteers who give their time; carrying out a range of roles including volunteering on our national helpline, being a member of our national participation group member through to joining our Anxiety UK Approved Therapist Scheme.

Supporting those with Anxiety

We know that if you’ve been living with anxiety, stress and/or anxiety-based depression, voluntary work can be a very big step and there are many barriers that might deter you from volunteering.

However, our Manchester office has a warm, supportive environment and is entirely staffed by people with personal experience of anxiety. It can provide you with informal, transitional work if your long-term goal is to get back into employment.

Become an Anxiety UK Approved Therapist

If you are a qualified therapist, in training, or working towards accreditation, joining the Anxiety UK Approved Therapist scheme will provide you with the opportunity to work with clients presenting with a wide range of anxiety disorders, whilst also facilitating access to a number of Anxiety UK Approved Therapist benefits including CPD opportunities.

If you’re a trainee (requiring a placement), securing a placement with Anxiety UK will provide you with an opportunity gain significant experience and skills with working with clients presenting with a wide range of anxiety disorders, whilst being under the umbrella of a national charity.

We have placement opportunities for students on counselling and CBT courses. We also welcome applications from therapists who have undertaken Part 1 of an official, Anxiety UK recognised EMDR course.

If you’re a qualified therapist the Anxiety UK Approved Therapist scheme gives you the opportunity to gain further experience of working with clients presenting with a wide range of anxiety disorders as well as the opportunity to become an expert in a particular area – for instance, the provision of therapy for clients from specific BME communities, from the LGBTQ community or from other specialist groups.

If you’re new to private practice, the Anxiety UK Approved Therapist scheme will enable you to gain valuable experience of working with clients presenting with a wide range of anxiety disorders from agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder through to specific phobias, OCD and health anxiety; helping you to build your knowledge and understanding of working with such conditions.

Apply to become a volunteer

Become an Anxiety UK Approved Therapist

Helpline Volunteer

About the role

You will be the first point of call for callers taking the first step in seeking help for their anxiety. As a helpline volunteer, you will provide callers with support and information on getting help; conveying the message that anxiety is both manageable and treatable.

Requirements for the role

Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
Ability to provide empathetic listening (not counselling) to callers looking for support
Have an understanding of/interest in anxiety disorders
Be reliable and committed
Provide information on anxiety, Anxiety UK services and related issues to callers

Please note that due to the time investment incurred in training volunteers, we require a minimum commitment of 4 hours per week for at least 6 months.

Benefits of Volunteering on the Helpline

Feel good factor of helping those in need	Yes
Full training and support provided	Yes
References available	Yes, once 3 months served (available up to one year post volunteering)
Discount to our membership	Yes, once 3 months served
Access to therapy at relevant fee tier without prior membership	Yes, once 3 months served
Regular opportunities for training and CPD	Yes
Expand experience of working in mental health	Yes
Reimbursement of reasonable expenses	Yes
Access to external supervision	Yes