I was inspired to take on the role once I retired because I was in a good position ‘to give something back’ following a career in both the NHS and latterly a corporate environment.
Canopi’s recruitment of Wellbeing Allies came along at just the right time.
I live in North Wales with my family. I’m also a North West Cancer Research trustee and enjoy the outdoors dividing my leisure time between the sea and the mountains, and I’m learning to speak Welsh.
How did you get involved with Canopi?
Canopi offers a free, confidential service that provides NHS and social care workers in Wales with access to various levels of mental health support including self-help, guided self-help, wellbeing ally support, and virtual face-to-face therapies with accredited specialists.
My Wellbeing Ally role began some eighteen months ago, in response to a Facebook post calling for volunteers.
Role requirements for Peer Support volunteers included:
- A knowledge of the National Health Service or social care sector
- Ability to adopt an empathetic approach whilst maintaining professional boundaries
- An interest in health and wellbeing issues
While I was assured by Canopi that the role is very flexible, I find I am able to offer around one day per week and support 1-3 cases per week, each case involving varying numbers of interactions.
What happens when someone contacts Canopi?
Canopi works on the basis of self-referral. Individuals can self-refer themselves through the Canopi website.
Following the completion of the self-referral form, the individual is put in touch with a Doctor Advisor, who will recommend different types of support which are available through the service.
When Wellbeing Ally Support is recommended, contact is then made and online sessions are arranged between a volunteer, like myself, and the individual for mutually agreeable times.
People are encouraged to have more than one conversation, up to a maximum of six sessions.
Importantly, peer support is not a clinical therapy. My role doesn’t involve me providing a medical diagnosis or treatment, legal advice or counselling.
I’m not an employee or agent of the Canopi service however, I do have the benefit of access to training and to fellow wellbeing colleagues.
Over the past eighteen months or so I have supported many individuals through their mental health difficulties.
Interested in volunteering?
If you would like to explore becoming a volunteer in a Wellbeing Ally role, please contact the Canopi team: canopi@cardiff.ac.uk