Recruitment opens for new See Me volunteers
Posted by See Me, 15 June 2022
We’re on the lookout for new volunteers aged 16 to 18 to help us with our work tackling mental health stigma in schools.
Volunteers play a huge part in the See Me programme – and we’re keen to hear from young people, aged 16 to 18, with experience of mental health problems to help us deliver our work in schools and youth work settings.
See Me’s vision is for a fair and inclusive Scotland, free from mental health stigma and discrimination – and that includes for young people.
As a See Me volunteer, you’ll gain lots of important skills and experience, while making a real difference for thousands of people who face mental health stigma and discrimination across Scotland as part of the See Us movement.
Some of the benefits of volunteering include:
- As a See Me volunteer, you will have access to the See Me annual training calendar, including media training, facilitation training, community engagement training and more.
- You will have the opportunity to attend a variety of events and meet lots of new people. You will be joining a supportive network of volunteers who share your desire to end mental health stigma and discrimination.
- You’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to change communities’ attitudes and behaviour towards people with mental health problems as part of the See Us movement.
- You’ll get the chance to learn and share skills with other See Me volunteers and staff, including communication, leadership and collaboration skills.
- Gain hours towards volunteer awards such as Duke of Edinburgh Award or Saltire Award.
See Me volunteer Kristi McCann, 20, got involved with the programme when she was 16 years old. Her See Me highlights have included delivering workshops, being involved in projects which have made it into the news, and having the opportunity to meet the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, to discuss youth mental health at an event to mark the NHS’s 70th birthday.
Kristi said: “Volunteering with See Me gave me a whole new boost of confidence. Before, I was shy and not very outgoing but See Me helped me with that. They have given me opportunities that I would have never got the chance to have.
“See Me isn’t just a volunteering opportunity. It’s an opportunity for you to grow as a person."
She continued: "I joined straight out of school at 16 and I would not change it for the world. Being a part of See Me has shaped me into the person that I am today.”
See Me’s volunteers have the chance to get involved in a range of different projects and activities, from helping to develop new resources for schools like the See Me See Change approach, to speaking at events and in the media.
See Me’s project officer for young people Claire Jennings said: “Our volunteers bring so much to See Me, and I’m really excited to get some fresh voices involved in the programme.
“Our work in schools and in youth work settings really comes to life when our youth volunteers get involved, and they make sure that the work we do really reflects their experiences.
“If you’re passionate about making a difference, and want to use your skills and interests to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination, we’d love to hear from you.”
You can find full details of the role, and how to apply, over on our volunteering pages. All applications must be submitted by 6 July 2022 at 12:00.