Celebrating Peer Support in Volunteering

07 June, 2019

Volunteers Week is always an exciting time for the Trust. A number of our Volunteer Awards are presented at events held to celebrate amazing people who generously give their time, energy and expertise to important causes.

We are working more and more with organisations wanting to recognise the great difference that volunteers with lived experience make to improving the lives of others.
This year we launched a ‘Peer Support’ category in our Awards with St Mungo’s, to recognise those using their lived experience to end homelessness. We had two fantastic winners:

Ieva, or Evi, as she is known to clients, is a volunteer with the St Mungo’s Camden Housing First team and has used her lived experience to engage with clients who have complex needs. She regularly goes to hospital, probation or GP appointments with clients and uses her experience to build strong and supportive relationships with them.

Catherine, or Katie as most people know her, was a previous resident and client of St Mungo’s and has used her experiences to help build a more diverse and inclusive organisation. She has helped shape the Diversity & Inclusion programme within St Mungo’s and is instrumental in steering groups, helping to create strategies for the wider organisation.

This week we also launched our 2019 Awards with Addaction. The Recovery Awards specifically go to people in recovery using their experience of substance use to combat stigma and help others.

In partnership with Mind and Peerfest partners, we are seeking nominations for the Marsh Awards for Mental Health Peer Support, to celebrate excellent peer-led groups providing support with mental health.

Later this year we’ll be announcing the winners of our Awards with Barnardo’s, who are often people who have previously accessed Barnardo’s services and want to give back to other families, children and young people as volunteers.

Celebrating peer support in volunteering has become an important part of our Awards Scheme. Stay tuned as we share with you more stories of inspiring volunteers.