My Black Dog aims to be here for anyone struggling with their mental health, through the medium of peer support. We know first-hand how isolating difficulties with mental health can feel and how isolated we can find ourselves during these times. Long waits for primary health care, GP appointments, counselling and medication support can severely effect access to mental health support in a timely fashion. We firmly believe no-one should feel alone or that they don’t have anyone to talk to.
My Black Dog runs a free, confidential, webchat based peer support service. This is predominantly staffed by our fantastic cohort of over 100 volunteers, all giving up their time for free to support others with mental health conversations. Everyone at My Black Dog has their own experiences with mental health and we use this as an opportunity to emphasise with our guests and show them that there is someone who truly does ‘get what it’s like’.
Guests can speak to us by using our chat box when they don't know who to talk to. Whether they're experiencing uncertainties, feeling trapped, or simply curious, we are here to support everybody. Talk to someone who gets it. Free, available online and every day.
The power of peer support in the mental health sector is untapped. People are waiting longer for primary care support, waitlists keep climbing and supports feels further away than ever. When support comes, it's often time limited and not necessarily meeting what you need. Sometimes, you just want to speak to someone who gets it, and that's what we are here for.
Mental health matters. Everyone matters. We're here to make a difference and show that there is always someone to talk to about their mental heath.
We are looking for volunteers for have experience their own journey with their mental health and who are in a strong position to support others. We ask that our volunteers:
- Are strongly committed to helping others.
- Have experienced mental health issues in order to relate to those seeking help.
- Be willing to talk about your own experiences.
- Are 18+ years old,
- Can volunteers 2-3 hours a week from home.
Talking about your struggles is hard, and we therefore only accept volunteers who can be candid and open up to guests about their experiences.
This isn't for everyone, so we urge you to think carefully about volunteering. Don't feel bad if you can't, like I said, talking about this is tough, we totally get it.
We are real people, with our own mental health journeys and stories, who want to support others who feel alone and isolated in their mental health. We're not here to offer quick wins or platitudes - there's no "every cloud has a silver lining here". We help people talk about their mental health in a safe, non-judgmental space, completely free of charge.
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Our Opportunities
My Black Dog is a community-focused platform offering peer-to-peer conversations for people who are struggling with mental health challenges and trauma.
