Volunteering at our Achieve Services
Our Community Addiction services, known as ‘Achieve’, focus on delivering innovative substance use treatment and recovery services in the community across Bury, Bolton, Salford, and Trafford. In addition to paid staff, Achieve have been long standing supporters of the volunteer agenda at GMMH and have a number of volunteer roles including PSI Group Cofacilitator, Needle Exchange Volunteer and Volunteer Practitioner Support.
We spoke to Neala Farr, Community Development Officer, about the impact volunteers can have on service user care.
“Volunteers are an integral part of Achieve services and we value the support they provide. Having volunteers throughout our service displays visible recovery, likely motivating those currently in treatment or ambivalent to treatment. Volunteers’ involvement has a positive impact on service users throughout all stages of the recovery journey. When recovery is visible, hope and inspiration are passed on to those struggling and recovery may seem more achievable. Volunteers being able to give back not only enriches communities but also strengthens their recovery by providing them with a sense of fulfilment and empowerment.”
One of our volunteers having a big impact on service delivery is Al, in the role of Community Development Volunteer.
Within Al’s volunteer role, he has the opportunity to cofacilitate groups, present at presentations, engage in workshops, help with the planning and running of events and host community stalls at various diversity and inclusion occasions. It’s great to work alongside Al as he provides support, knowledge, and the ability to engage with service users in a caring and compassionate way.
Al wanted to volunteer as his lived experience coupled with his vast knowledge of recovery would provide beneficial support for other individuals in recovery. Al has only been in the role for a short amount of time, yet he has made a positive impact within our department and the recovery community.
Alongside Al’s usual volunteer commitments, he has helped with GMMH recruitment by sitting on interview panels and providing feedback and views from a service user perspective. One of his first interview panels included being on the panel for the new CEO of the trust. Al stated he feels very privilege and reassured that the voices of people from a service users background have an impact on the shaping of the future of the service.
Find out more about Achieve Recovery Services here.
