Volunteer Peer Mentor

The Peer Mentor role exists to provide structured, time-limited, one-to-one peer mentoring for adults affected by mental health challenges across Somerset.

Peer Mentors use their own lived experience of mental health difficulties, recovery, or wellbeing journeys to:

• Build genuine human connection.
• Reduce isolation.
• Offer hope through shared experience.
• Support people to identify and work towards personal goals.
• Improve wellbeing and confidence.
• Encourage self-management and independence.
• Help people move forward in recovery in ways that are meaningful to them.

The mentor is not there to "fix" problems or provide professional intervention. Instead, they walk alongside someone and support them to discover their own solutions.

For mentees, the role aims to:

• Increase confidence and self-esteem.
• Increase hopefulness.
• Improve wellbeing.
• Reduce loneliness and isolation.
• Develop coping strategies.
• Increase community involvement.
• Support progress towards individual goals.
• Create a sense of being understood by someone who has "been there."

For mentors, the role can:

• Strengthen their own recovery and wellbeing.
• Increase confidence and purpose.
• Develop communication and support skills.
• Provide volunteering and employability experience.
• Create opportunities for progression into peer support, lived experience, and paid roles.

Mentoring sessions normally last up to one hour. Sessions are generally delivered over a 6-week period. Mentors are expected to complete monthly summary forms, record Goal Based Outcomes (GBOs), attend supervision and support meetings and participate in induction and training.

Peer Connections is:

• A lived-experience-led service
• A volunteer-led peer mentoring service.
• A wellbeing and recovery-focused service that is trauma-informed
• A non-clinical mental health support service focusing on the power of the peer

We are part of the wider Open Mental Health partnership in Somerset.

We aim to deliver:

"Short-term, light-touch meaningful peer support focused on wellbeing, milestones, personal goals and achievements."

We support adults aged 18+.

You will complete the following tasks

Peer Mentors speak regularly with a matched mentee and provide one-to-one support through conversations by phone, online or in community settings. They listen, build a supportive relationship, share relevant lived experience where helpful, and encourage the person to work towards goals that are important to them. 

Throughout the mentoring relationship, Peer Mentors help mentees identify strengths, explore possible solutions to challenges, and take small steps towards improving their wellbeing and confidence. They support and encourage rather than giving advice, providing therapy, advocacy or casework. 

Peer Mentors also complete basic records and monitoring forms, stay in contact with the Peer Connections team, attend training and supervision, and follow confidentiality, safeguarding and boundary expectations to ensure support is delivered safely and appropriately.

Necessary skills, experience, and attitude

It's essential to have the following:

• Lived experience of mental health challenges and recovery.
• Good listening skills.
• Empathy and compassion.
• Ability to build trusting, supportive relationships.
• Ability to communicate clearly and respectfully.
• A non-judgemental attitude.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries.
• Reliability and commitment.
• Willingness to support people towards their own goals.
• Ability to keep information confidential and follow safeguarding procedures.
• Openness to learning, training and feedback.
• Self-awareness and ability to look after your own wellbeing.
• Respect for diversity, equality and individual differences.
• Basic organisational skills (arranging sessions, completing forms, keeping records).

Although it's not essential, you may also have:

• Previous volunteering experience.
• Experience of peer support, mentoring or support work.
• Knowledge of local mental health services and community resources.
• Goal-setting or coaching skills.
• Confidence supporting people to solve problems and build confidence.
• Understanding of trauma-informed approaches.
• Experience of recovery planning, WRAP, CHIME or wellbeing tools.
• Mental Health First Aid training.
• Suicide prevention or Orange Button training.
• Experience working with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Good digital skills (Teams, Zoom, email, smartphones).
• Experience of facilitating groups or community activities.
• Interest in co-production, lived experience leadership or service improvement.