A Cumbrian addictions charity is looking for new volunteer recovery coaches and helpline volunteers to support its work with people whose lives are affected by addictive behaviours.
CADAS – Cumbria Addictions: Advice and Solutions – will run its Understanding and Working with Addictive Behaviours course in September 2023, with sessions delivered both online and face-to-face. The charity works to reduce addictive behaviours and problematic dependencies across the county, such as alcohol and drug misuse, gaming and gambling.
With recruitment for the 11-week course taking place now, people are being urged to sign-up and help to make a difference to people’s lives.
Julie Mahoney, CADAS Volunteer Coordinator, said: “Our volunteer training course aims to teach prospective volunteers a range of theories and practical skills to support people with addictive behaviours.
“These skills can be life-enhancing and provide an opportunity and insight into working with others in a meaningful and therapeutic way. We also support our volunteer trainees to self-reflect with critical awareness, to notice your own emotional state at different times throughout the learning process and understand what to do to maintain your own well-being.
“We receive such positive feedback about the impact of our course and are looking forward to meeting new prospective volunteers in September. Volunteering for CADAS is an especially rewarding role, as not only do you support people to move forward and have more fulfilled lives, but you’ll get to meet volunteers and staff who are likely to share your values and become part of an amazing charity. If you’d like to become involved, please do get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.”
The volunteer training is split into two parts – it begins by exploring and understanding theories around addiction and interacting therapeutically with another, whilst the second part includes face-to-face practice at a training centre and assessments.
Once volunteers pass the course, they can become recovery coaches and helpline facilitators, assist staff members delivering educational sessions at schools, colleges and businesses, and provide clients with 1-1 sessions – either over the phone, online, face to face or within groups.
The Understanding and Working with Addictive Behaviours course (UWAB) is suitable for people interested in others and those who are comfortable working with a potentially vulnerable person, whilst supporting them to make positive changes to address addictive behaviours. Skills required include having self-awareness, being caring, friendly, a good listener and able to maintain strict confidentiality.
Comments about the training course from current helpline volunteers include:
“I found this to be a revelatory course which genuinely changed the course of my life. The course leaders were great, the people on the course were great and the content was, you guessed it, great. The course changed the way I looked at the world and, just as importantly, myself.”
“There is nothing more satisfying than feeling like you have helped someone even just a little bit. I have met lots of new people and made new friendships coupled with the knowledge that I just might be making a difference to people who are struggling with some of life’s more challenging issues.”
To find out more about the Understanding and Working with Addictive Behaviours training and how to apply, please email juliem@cadas.co.uk or call 0300 111 4002.
To find out more about volunteering at CADAS, please visit https://cadas.co.uk/support-cadas/volunteers/
