Where can I volunteer?

Hi,

I was just wondering where I could volunteer at, as I will be doing Psychology and I was wondering where are the best places to volunteer for that course? I'm interested in mental health and disabilities!

Thanks, in advance.

Purnita

Hi,

I was just wondering where I could volunteer at, as I will be doing Psychology and I was wondering where are the best places to volunteer for that course? I'm interested in mental health and disabilities!

Thanks, in advance.

Purnita

Volunteer opportunities at Aged Care Homes or Special Schools are useful experience.

Just phone or email and explain why you want to do it ('I'm applying to University ...', when you are available ('Every Saturday until I sit my exams in ....' etc) and any special skills you have that might be useful ('I do scrapbooking and could lead a craft session', 'I would welcome the opportunity to befriend patients who don't have visitors' or 'I could help with outings, activities, mealtimes' etc etc).

If you show that you are genuinely keen, and can be a regular and dependable volunteer, then this is great experience.

Hmm you mention special school ?.

Mind is a good one. There are often charities/other organisations that do support work/holiday programmes with children with special needs

Yeah I do I work in the mind charity shop.

hi! i did volunteer work for a company called HeadWay - it's an organisation run mainly by volunteers, and focuses on providing casual cognitive therapy sessions for clients who have had a traumatic brain injury. a lot of the clients are stroke patients, while some have had accidents causing damage to their brain. as a volunteer, you shadow a more senior volunteer and help the clients in their specialised cognitively therapies to help them regain some of the abilities they've lost. i would totally recommend it, especially if you're looking to apply to do psych! the people are lovely and really friendly, and you can go back and volunteer anytime you like no experience really required - i did this when i didn't even have my a-levels! hope this helps!

Hi! Thanks for telling me this! Can you give me their emial address and how you got started for example. Thanks

been a while since i've had any correspondence with em but i think u can find out more here: http://www.headwaybedford.org.uk/

i got started because my mum works in the hospital headway is integrated into

I am 15 and hope to go into Psych, hopefully research based, and I'm aiming for a top uni. Here's what I've got so far and what I'll be doing soon:

- 7Cups internship programme with honours, 136 hours of active listening and providing active support to people. You get trained in basic skills, and there's about 40 courses to get through and 4 written exams. It sounds like a lot but don't worry, it'll go by so quick It's a minimum of 8 weeks maximum 12, and you also have to be trained as a Group Moderator and a peer supporter. You are assigned a mentor.

- I'm involved with a local charity helping children with chronic illnesses, disabilities with the most common being autism and global development delay disorder. I do a club every Wednesday and key work a child and just do some activities etc. Fun, and you learn good skills. I'd say getting in contact with a charity like this if there's one nearby.

In this charity, they're also paying for my psychology training. They do bereavement (loss) counselling class and counselling skills which cost £180 each, but it's fully funded if you're a volunteer. I'm attending my course next week for bereavement and will attend counselling later on in the year with a hope of going into befriending/family support when I am 16.

- I helped out a yoga class for children. I learned some relaxation techniques and had fun with the children, which was good. I'm interested in adolescent psychology.

- I live in London so I'm able to be a young RI member, and attend whatever lectures I can. Some are psych based, and there's one on autism which will be free for me because it's a discourse. Very useful and gives insight and it's a lovely experience.

I'm aiming to get into a one year placement for next year where I will have a four hours p week to go into a ward/hospital and give support to people who have just been informed of loss/help those who are bed ridden/get groceries and run errands etc. kind of thing. See if this is available at your hospital trust. This will tick off the box for the "clinical" side of psychology as I'm interested in that too.

The most you can do is just read lots about psychology, but if you're already interested in it I'm sure you do If you've got any more questions do ask, but I think I've covered it for me. x