Looking for a new way of life and helping people!

[Timeforachangeofusername99]

Hi Guys

My sister is 27 and having an existential crisis... She lost her job in the pandemic and doesn't want to go back into hospitality. She's discovered Gabor Mate and is fascinated by alternative therapies, psychology, trauma, why we are like we are, healing from the past etc.

She wants to get into the world of helping other people, but without a degree or experience it's hard to get into and she has a lot to learn first.

She would best suit a job/apprenticeship/mentorship/volunteering/thing where she can shadow someone who works in this area, maybe be their assistant, and learn on the job. She knows she won't become a therapist that way, but it would be a way into the world of what she wants to do.

Does anyone know where she might be able to find such a position?! I'm obviously googling the wrong things (or it doesn't exist)

TIA

I'd start by finding out what mental health charities are local to her, charities are often on the lookout for volunteers. Or is there a local page about volunteering she can search on for voluntary opportunities? Locally to me there are a fair few opportunities to volunteer for Mind as well as smaller local charities.

There’s lots more volunteer roles around at the moment I think as the pandemic has meant many more people need support. I’ve just started volunteering for a local charity doing phone support. I’m having a chat with the boss later about possible paid work so even if I don’t get one of the paid roles this time it seems like volunteering is a good foot in the door! What I’d like to do is work for charities like that alongside the psychology degree I am hopefully starting in October.

Also there are a few mental health related courses she could do, probably free. This is the page from my local adult education site, but the courses are nationally recognised. Each takes only a few months - I did counselling skills last year (this doesn’t qualify you as a counsellor obviously but it’s a good way of showing personal development etc. I then did one about children’s mental health and now I’m doing one about working with adults with mental health difficulties. All free and fits around my other commitments.

aspiresussex.org.uk/distance-learning-courses/

Careershifters is a career change support organisation which might help her structure the change. For paid work for now she could look at carework in the mental health space - that will be fairly basic stuff. Then for a start she could contact the local volunteer bureau and find out about charities she could volunteer with. While she’s doing that she can research which bits she wants to get into and how to do that. I would pick something that is a structured job.