Volunteer
Volunteers are at the heart of what we do here at AWARE NI. We have a dedicated team of over one hundred volunteers who work alongside staff in various crucial roles to help local people experiencing mental ill-health.
Our volunteers are of all ages and from all walks of life. Some have experienced depression first-hand or cared for a family member. Others have no experience but have appropriate skills, knowledge and personal qualities and are interested in helping others.
We have a few volunteer roles, and the time commitment varies from role to role. Some positions also require volunteers to undergo training before starting, but no previous qualifications are essential. Some volunteers work directly with those affected by depression; others help in the office, at awareness-raising events or with fundraising activities.
Support Group Facilitator
Volunteers usually work in pairs at one of our 24 support groups throughout Northern Ireland. This role involves facilitating the meeting, providing appropriate information and distributing literature. Most of our support groups meet in the evenings, requiring regular time commitment. All Support Group Facilitators are fully trained and act as ambassadors of AWARE.
Awareness Champion
This role involves staffing information stands to raise awareness of depression and AWARE's services at health fairs and other local events, and distributing information to GP surgeries, chemists and other suitable local establishments. The hours for this role can be flexible, although availability during regular office hours would be helpful.
Fundraising Volunteer
We have a calendar of fundraising events throughout the year, which volunteers can participate in. These roles involve helping out on the event day by showing people where to go and handing out t-shirts and merchandise. Our fundraising volunteers are essential to making sure our events run smoothly.
