Volunteer With DrugFAM

Join DrugFAM and make a difference to the lives of those affected by their loved ones harmful use of alcohol, drugs or gambling

"I volunteer at DrugFAM to let others know you can come out the other side. I want to give people hope."

Mary, Helpline Volunteer

Addressing the Need

At DrugFAM, we recognise the immense challenges faced by families, carers, and friends of individuals struggling with harmful substance use or gambling addiction. Addiction can have a profound impact, not only on the individuals themselves but also on their loved ones. The need for support and understanding in these situations is tremendous. That’s why we rely on the dedication and compassion of volunteers like you to help us address this pressing issue.

The scale of the problem is staggering. Countless families nationwide are grappling with the effects of their loved one’s addiction, often feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and unsure where to turn for assistance. Volunteering with DrugFAM allows you to play a vital role in providing comfort, guidance, and crucial resources to those in need. Together, we can make a lasting impact and create a supportive community that understands and empathizes with the challenges faced by these families.

Making a Difference

Volunteering for DrugFAM offers many benefits, both for the individuals we support and for you as a volunteer. By lending your time and skills, you will make a profound difference in the lives of those affected by their loved one’s addiction.

First and foremost, volunteering provides an opportunity to offer genuine support and compassion to individuals who are often marginalised or overlooked. Your presence and dedication can provide a lifeline for families, carers, and friends struggling to navigate the complexities of their loved one’s addiction. Through your efforts, you will help to restore hope, foster resilience, and strengthen the bonds within these families.

Moreover, volunteering for DrugFAM offers personal growth and development. You will better understand addiction issues, enhancing your empathy, communication skills, and ability to provide non-judgmental support. It is an opportunity to positively impact, broaden your perspective, and contribute to a cause that truly matters.

Comprehensive Training

At DrugFAM, providing comprehensive training is essential to ensuring the effectiveness and well-being of our volunteers. All volunteers will receive thorough training conducted by experienced and registered practitioners in the world of addiction.

Our training program includes a comprehensive e-learning component designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfil your role effectively. You will have access to expert-led modules, interactive resources, and case studies that reflect real-life situations. This training will enable you to navigate the complexities of addiction, develop effective communication strategies, and support families, carers, and friends compassionately and knowledgeably.

By completing our training program, you will be fully prepared and confident in your ability to make a difference in the lives of those affected by their loved one’s addiction. Your training will serve as a foundation upon which you can build meaningful relationships, provide valuable guidance, and contribute to our mission of supporting families, carers, and friends.

Join us at DrugFAM and become a part of our dedicated team. Together, we can bring hope, understanding, and support to those who most need it. Your commitment and compassion can genuinely impact the lives of individuals affected by a loved one’s addiction, fostering a community of healing and resilience. Volunteer today and help us create a brighter future for our community.

Volunteer Roles: Join us in Making a Difference

At DrugFAM, we offer diverse and meaningful volunteer roles that allow you to directly impact the lives of families, carers, and friends affected by their loved one’s addiction. Each volunteer role is designed to utilise your unique skills and interests while contributing to our mission of providing essential support and resources to those in need. Join our team and discover the volunteer role that resonates with you.

Support Group Volunteer

One of the key parts of DrugFAM’s services are our video support groups.  The groups offer a safe place for people who have a loved one who misuses drugs, alcohol or gambling to share their experiences and find the strength to move forward with their lives through the support of others in similar situations.

We are looking for passionate dedicated volunteers to help our Group Leaders to facilitate our support groups.  Without our group volunteers we would be unable to run many of our groups.

You will be fully trained over a four week period (on average) to give you the confidence and knowledge to be able to attend a group meeting and take notes that you will then copy into our client database at the end of the meeting. 

Our expectation is that you make a commitment of two and a half hours one evening a week (two hours to attend the group meeting and thirty minutes maximum to input your notes into the database).

To apply please complete and submit an application form (link below) after which you will be invited to an informal video interview.

Helpline Volunteer

DrugFAM’s key service is our helpline, which is a vital source of support for many of our clients.  The helpline is available 7 days a week between 9am and 9pm. We are looking for passionate dedicated volunteers to take Helpline calls and engage with people in need of empathy and understanding. 

You will be fully trained over a three month period (on average) to build up your confidence and knowledge. You’ll be required to understand our policies and procedures, trained in basic counselling and listening skills using case studies, role play,  course work and listening into calls between a client and a member of staff.  You will then take calls with our  trainer listening followed by solo calls and the ability to discuss afterwards. Once you and the trainer are confident, you will be signed off and provided with ongoing mentoring and support.

Our expectation is that you make a commitment of at least one two hour shift every week either during the day, evening or weekend. We appreciate that this will vary due to work commitments, family life and holidays but to do less isn’t productive for  the client or for you. Where possible you should attend  our monthly meetings  and ongoing training.

To apply please complete and submit an application form (link below)  after which you will be invited to an informal video interview. 

Operations & Administration Volunteer

We are always looking for people to help with the smooth running of the charity.  We are grateful for any time you might be able to spare to work on a variety of ongoing and ad hoc projects and pieces of work. 

If you are interested in this type of volunteering please complete and submit an application form (link below) after which you will be invited to an informal video meeting to discuss.

Trustee

DrugFAM is looking for committed individuals to expand our range of trustee skills. We require motivated, committed and active people who have a proven success in their field. Trustees are expected to contribute to the Board by supporting strategic direction, strategic evaluation and analysis and providing overall effective leadership. The trustee role is also accountable to ensuring the administration and financial stability of the charity.

If you are interested in having a conversation to learn more and explore your suitability for the role please complete and submit an application form (link below) after which you will be invited to an informal video meeting.

In order to protect the people in recovery and following recognised practice in the sector, our policy is only to accept helpline and support group volunteer applications from people who have been in recovery for a minimum of two years. 

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