Somerset and Wessex Eating Disorders Association "Serving those affected by eating disorders"

Homepage Sitemap SWEDA Menu About SWEDA Contact the Team The Steering Group Policy Documents Volunteering with us

Volunteering with SWEDA Volunteer Training As you will see from our Services Page, Somerset & Wessex Eating Disorders Association has a lot to offer. A great deal of this is provided by SWEDA Volunteers (Vols); in particular the Helplines, Drop-Ins and Leaflet production are volunteer run as is the Resource Library, Web Site and some Helpline & Drop-In Cover and the new Help By Letter scheme. Volunteering with SWEDA is great fun and very rewarding and a great way to meet a really lovely 'family' of SWEDA people - the paid workers, volunteers and clients as well as new friends from the newly formed Somerset Eating Disorders Service (part of the NHS Somerset Partnership Trust). As well as providing many of SWEDA's services the SWEDA Vols. have plenty of social activities and plenty of time to enjoy each others company. We have a wonderful Volunteer Co-ordinator in Jan who, amongst many other clever things, helps introduce new and prospective volunteers to the organisation and helps in their training and who can be contacted on vols @swedauk.org if you'd like any further information. Training is provided (as is coffee of course!!), expenses are paid and there is plenty of opportunity to be involved in further training and learning throughout. Support and supervision is also provided regularly and formally and of course is always available in the form of friendship and mutal support from all at SWEDA be they other volunteers or paid staff (we don't differentiate and they even do their own washing up). Many SWEDA Volunteers have had a personal experience of an eating disorder (perhaps as a suffer or a carer) and would like to use this experience to help others, but this is not required, all that's needed is a desire to help those affected by eating disorders and perhaps have a fun and rewarding time along the way. If we haven't convinced you already, Lyn has written a piece on volunteering with SWEDA which I'm sure will do the trick. Volunteering at SWEDA A brief glimpse at a volunteer session First job on coming into SWEDA is to put the kettle on. A good judge of character for a volunteer, is coffee making skills ( just kidding ) The next important thing to do is to look at the handover book from the previous session. Any relevant on-going information will be documented there. Whether helpline or drop-in, the next step is to be ready and waiting with a listening ear. This type of ear can be underrated. In a world of the quick fix and a pace of living that Shcumacher would give his right arm for ( although that would make it hard to drive ) someone that has the skill to just listen is worth their weight in gold. If things are a bit quiet then there is a "to do" box, where any work is left, that needs immediate attention. This quite often involves leaflets, and the folding thereof. Another good volunteer judge - folding skills. If one of your hobbies is origami then this is the place for you. After the session has finished there will be a de-briefing time with whoever is on cover. This is a chance to talk through any concerns or issues, in order that they can be left in SWEDA and not taken home to ruminate upon. There are other ways in which to volunteer at SWEDA and more things to come in the near future. Pen-pal scheme and emails - if you have writing skills. Self-help group work - if you have people skills, to name but two. If you think you have something to offer SWEDA then get in touch with Jan on jan@swedauk.org for a volunteer pack or for more information. As you can tell from the light-hearted intro, us SWEDA volunteers are a happy bunch. The support and guidance is brilliant. The general ethos of the place is amazing. The initial training you receive will equip you for most eventualities, and on-going training is always an option. If you are a caring, committed, person who would like to help people with eating disorders then get in touch now and share in the "SWEDA experience". If you are interested in volunteering with us at SWEDA you can write to us, telephone (details are on the Contact Page), or email our Volunteer Co-ordinator at vols@swedauk.org to find out more or ask for and information pack and registration form (we have a version of this online in our Policy Documents section). Volunteer Counselling Somerset & Wessex Eating Disorders Association has a low cost counselling service. If you are a student counsellor in their 2nd or 3rd years of 'Diploma in Counselling' training and would be interested in gaining a counselling placement at SWEDA please contact Anita Worcester for details. All counsellors receive regular supervision from within SWEDA together with support from their training colleges. Volunteer Counsellors will also need to complete the SWEDA Volunteer Training. If you are interested a volunteer counsellor placement with us at SWEDA you can write to us, telephone (details are on the Contact Page), or email Anita Worcester at SWEDA on anita@swedauk.org to find out more. Volunteer Leaflets Volunteer Information Pack Volunteer Counsellor Application Form

© 2004 ~ 2013 Somerset and Wessex Eating Disorders Association