Maidstone
Walking in the woods, taking in the sights and sounds, carving and whittling, wild cooking…do you like doing these as well?
If so, then you could be the person we are looking for.
We need people to help our occupational therapy team to support our community forensic mental health patients with wood craft activities. The sessions are led by a woodland school, so you will be there to support and encourage patients on the various activities
You will not be on your own with patients, but you will be there to talk to patients, ensure no one gets left behind, and help the group run smoothly.
Activities normally last for a fixed term of sessions – usually 8 or 10.
Our patients have a mental health condition so you will need to be caring, patient, understanding and non-judgemental.
Do you enjoy arts and crafts – could be anything, not just painting and drawing (although that as well!), but it could be sculpting, papercrafts, creative writing, any kind of activity that falls under the word ‘creative’.
What we are looking for is someone who can volunteer alongside our occupational therapy team to work with our community forensic mental health patients on arts and crafts activities.
You will not be on your own with patients, but you will provide the knowledge and eye to help our patients develop their interest in creative activity.
Activities normally last for a fixed term of weeks (usually 8 or 10).
Our patients have a mental health condition so you will need to be caring, patient, understanding and non-judgemental.
Do you enjoy making your own music? Writing lyrics? Programming a drum machine? Sitting at a mixing desk? Playing an instrument?
What we are looking for is someone who can volunteer alongside our occupational therapy team working with community forensic mental health patients compose their own music. This will be contemporary music – rap, hip hop, rock, etc so this will need to be a genre you also have some interest in. It might be that you help patients work on their lyrics, creating drum beats, playing other instruments, etc.
Therefore, some practical knowledge and experience will be required.
You will not be on your own with patients, but you will provide the knowledge and eye to help our patients develop their interest in creating music.
Activities normally last for a fixed term of weeks (usually 8 or 10).
Our patients have a mental health condition so you will need to be caring, patient, understanding and non-judgemental.
Do you enjoy the outdoors? It’s long been known that physical exercise is beneficial to all aspects of our wellbeing – not only physical but mental health as well.
What we are looking for are people to help our occupational therapy team to support our community forensic mental health patients with local group walks. The walks are fairly sedentary – it is as much about social interaction, communication, and group support as it is physical exercise.
You will not be on your own with patients, but you will be there to talk to patients, ensure no one gets left behind, and help the group run smoothly.
Our patients have a mental health condition so you will need to be caring, patient, understanding and non-judgemental.
Are you a keen photographer? It doesn’t matter what your subject is – landscapes, wildlife, portraits, real life…whatever.
What we are looking for is someone who can volunteer alongside our occupational therapy team to work with our community forensic mental health patients on photography activities.
You will need to have your own camera and an understanding of things such as focal length, apertures, etc (although nothing too technical or involved – not all patients will have such in-depth interest). You will not be on your own with patients, but you will provide the knowledge and eye to help our patients develop their interest in photography.
Activities normally last for a fixed term of weeks (usually 8 or 10).
Our patients have a mental health condition so you will need to be caring, patient, understanding and non-judgemental.
Our Detox Unit in Maidstone have a large 'green space' that is greatly enjoyed by residents. There are lawn areas, flower borders, a pond, and some wooden features.
What they are looking for is someone who can come along and help upkeep these areas. Activities will include mowing, painting, gardening and a wide variety of grounds maintenance activities. You would be welcome to bring your own skills and flair to the space as well.
This will be self-directed work so you will need to know what you are doing and have relevant experience.
There is the possibility of working alongside residents of the unit if you would be comfortable with this, though it's not essential.
The Detox Unit is resident to service users with drug and alcohol addictions who are in recovery so you will need to be comfortable and happy in that environment.
We are looking for someone to assist with our sports and physical activity session at our hospital in Maidstone. You will volunteer alongside a member of the occupational therapy team, helping support mental health patients with sport and physical activity. This is relatively mild activity, but is useful for promoting wellbeing and physical health. Activities take place indoors and outside, depending on the activity and weather.
You will be volunteering in a mental health setting so you will need to be comfortable with that, patient, understanding, and non-judgemental.
Our Occupational Therapy team run a walking group for our patients in Maidstone. Volunteers are required to help run these groups. You will be volunteering alongside staff and will be there to talk to patients and engage with them in friendly chat and to help them enjoy the experience.
The walks are gentle but can be on trackways. Just as important as the exercise is for patients to enjoy being in the countryside and to engage with the sights, sounds, and smells. Breaks are taken as necessary.
Patients are residents on our acute wards and can sometimes display challenging symptoms, so you will need to be patient, caring, understanding, and non-judgmental.
You will be volunteering alongside our occupational therapy team at our forensic mental health unit in Maidstone or Folkestone.
Our patients find such activities to be of great benefit and help them relax.
Sessions last about an hour and generally take place in the afternoons, but times and days can be adapted to suit you.
You will need to have a relevant qualification or proven track record in this activity.
You will be helping to support the café manager, preparing snacks and light lunches, drinks, taking orders from customers and helping keep the area clean.
