Befriending Volunteer

Amazing, giving, inspiring and awesome are just a few of the words we would use to describe our volunteers.

Our volunteers play an integral part in the services we provide and the people we support. If you are looking for a rewarding role where you will really make a difference whilst gaining experience along the way, then join us here at Rethink Mental Illness.

About the role

We are looking for Befriending Volunteers to support our befriending service in East Hertfordshire. You will provide 1-2-1 befriending for people who have a mental health issue.

You will be based at home but will be required to travel across Hertfordshire to meet with service users and carry out your role. Ideally, you will be able to dedicate 1 hour per fortnight to volunteering. You must live in Hertfordshire and be able to travel to East Hertfordshire to take part in face-to-face befriending activities.

You will receive training and regular supervision to ensure you feel confident in your role. You can read more about the benefits of volunteering on the full advert on our website.

About the service

Our service provides support to people with a mental health issue, who are aged 18 and above, and are known to mental health services. We provide befriending support to people who live in the Hertfordshire towns of: Ware, Hertford, Hoddesdon, Broxbourne, Chestnut, Cuffley, Waltham Cross.

The aim of the befriending service is to:

• Reduce social isolation of service users
• Increase the confidence of service users to access community resources independently
• Provide meaningful activities and peer support for service users
• Help service users to live happier, healthier, independent lives
• Provide volunteering opportunities for people with mental health issues
• Reduce stigma and raise mental health awareness

What you will be doing as a Befriending Volunteer:

• Meet with service users in locations and times which meet their needs this could include going out for a walk or meeting for a coffee
• Support service users to access and build social and community networks
• Support service users to achieve realistic goals

What will make you a great fit for this role?

• You will be reliable and be able to commit 1 hour per fortnight to volunteering
• You will be flexible to meet the needs of the service users
• You will have good communication skills
• You will be caring and empathetic
• You will live in Hertfordshire

The Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator looking after this role is Rebecca Dolphin. If you have any questions about the position, please feel free to drop her an email at

Who are we?

We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”

We welcome applications from everyone, applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ ), people with a disability, or those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are actively encouraged to apply. We are proud to have also been awarded Disability Confident employer status. We have an ambition of becoming an anti-racist organisation and we recognise there is more to do in ensuring our recruitment is fair and inclusive, which is why we are recruiting new roles in helping us to achieve this.