Volunteering Feature : Voiceability
It is now more important than ever to stand up for your rights and express your own views and feelings. Unfortunately for some this is not possible for them to do on their own, this is where advocacy services such as Voiceability come in. We had a chat with them to find out their aims and about how you can get involved with their service.
Voiceability is one of the largest advocacy and empowerment agencies in the country. It was set up almost 40 years ago to support people to get their voices heard in decisions about their health, care and wellbeing. We provide free, independent advocacy support.
Our aim.
We believe that everyone has a right to be heard and respected.
Have the same choice, control and freedom as any other person.
Be safe from violence, discrimination, harm or abuse.
Everything we do is focused on this aim
In April 2022 Voiceability was awarded the contract to provide advocacy services across Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire, our advocates are working tirelessly to support the people of Bedfordshire.
What we need now are volunteers to support us to ensure that everyone that needs advocacy support can have access to it.
We are looking for volunteers to support our delivery of advocacy services in Bedfordshire so we can help more people have a better quality of life.
Are you a good listener, non-judgemental, empathetic, and understanding with an interest in Mental Health and like to learn new skills? Then our Hospital Visitor role may be right for you.
Are you a good listener, with good communication skills and attention to detail? could you support a person 1:1 with some challenging circumstances? If so, our Support Session Role may be of interest to you.
If you think you can help contact our volunteer team on volunteering@voiceability.org for a chat about volunteering.
Help people who are in hospital for their mental health to know their rights and get their voice heard. By helping them access advocacy, you can make a real difference to their experience and recovery – from making sure someone can get their hair cut to ensuring they’re fully involved in decisions about their treatment.
Support people directly to resolve problems and make their voices heard. People who use health and care services sometimes need support to understand their options, or to access local services. You might help someone to understand information they’ve been given about plans for their care, or support them to know their options and rights when they have to make a decision.
Support with events, networking and awareness raising. You’ll be helping your local advocates to reach people who need support. You might also get involved with group advocacy and self-advocacy workshops, helping give people the skills to empower themselves. These roles are ideal for people who already have a connection to their community, or would like to build one.
If you would like to register an interest in the opportunities above, then create an account on the Simply Connect volunteering platform and the group will contact you to follow through. Any problems, or if you simply wish to talk more generally about volunteering, give us a call on 01234 354366 or email to volunteering@cvsbeds.org.uk. We are here to help you.
