Are you living with Type 2 diabetes and want to help others? Become a peer mentor!
This as an exciting project that has been successfully supporting people living with type 2 diabetes since January 2019 to live the lives they want after diagnosis. We are now expanding this service in Bristol to help and support more people newly diagnosed with the condition, help them come to terms with their diagnosis and improve both their health outcomes and their personal feelings about living with diabetes.
100% of mentees completing the programme in 2019 reported increases in their levels of confidence in, understanding of, and ability to manage their type 2 diabetes.
“Having somebody to talk to was very helpful. She supported me and allowed me to discuss things I wanted to talk about and helped me come up with a plan to manage my diabetes.” (Mentee, 2019)
We need you!
We’re looking to recruit 10 enthusiastic and motivated volunteers living with Type 2 diabetes in Bristol who can listen, share experiences and motivate people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. We are interviewing through January and February 2020 and will be training successful applicants on a three-day training course on 27th, 28th and 29th March 2020. Our mentors learn skills in motivational interviewing, active listening, goal setting, boudaries and safeguarding, as well as the latest information in type 2 diabetes management in a safe, supportive environment that supports the gaining of transferrable skills for mentors as well as training them to support mentees.
“Over many years of education, business, and practice, I have experienced numerous meetings and training events. However, I was impressed by the concise, informed and practicality of the advice provided during the ‘mentor instruction’, by Brigstowe and Bristol Community Health. This was the best professional training I have experienced.” (Mentor, Jan 2019)
Not sure if this is the role for you?
You don’t need to be an expert in diabetes and you don’t need to have the perfect lifestyle. If you have been living with type 2 diabetes, have struggled to understand the condition, had setbacks and obstacles that have caused you to struggle on the way, you are ideal for this project. Your personal experience in having had these problems makes you a great person to help someone else avoid those same issues. Still not sure, contact us and have a chat!
As a peer mentor you will:
Receive full training and ongoing support
Develop your knowledge of type 2 diabetes
Meet other people living with type 2 diabetes
Have all expenses relating to mentoring reimbursed
Closing Date:
Saturday, 29 February, 2020 – 17:00
How to Apply:
To apply for this role you will need to be:
Living with Type 2 diabetes
Able to commit an hour a week to provide mentoring in Bristol and attend a monthly supervision session
Available for training on 27th, 28th and 29th March 2020
We look forward to hearing from you.
To apply for this role by email, please complete the below Diabetes Peer Support Volunteer Application Form (Digital) and email to diabetes@brigstowe.org.
To apply for this role by post, please print and complete the below Diabetes Peer Support Volunteer Application Form (Paper) and send to Diabetes Peer Support Service, Brigstowe, Easton Commmunity Centre, Kilburn Street, Bristol, BS5 6AW.
If you would like to have an informal discussion about this role, please contact Sean Hourigan on 01179555038, or email diabetes@brigstowe.org
Click below to access recruitment documents:
Peer Support Role description 2020
Diabetes Peer Support Application Form 2020 (Paper)
Diabetes Peer Support Application Form 2020 (Digital)
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Type 2 Diabetes Peer Mentoring
Are you living with type 2 diabetes? Our peer mentoring service for people living with type 2 diabetes is a great opportunity for those who feel they would benefit from the lived experience and support of others who have been living with the same condition.
“I have always felt like I am the same as I was 20 years ago, but the diagnosis made me feel my age. After taking part in mentoring I now feel like I did before, 20 years younger.”
Mentee
Our mentors are all living with type 2 diabetes, and are trained in befriending, advocacy, coaching and basic counselling skills as well as motivational interviewing and goal setting. Our mentors will meet up with you in the community, usually at a café or other public space close to you, for an hour a week for up to 4 months, though this is flexible to fit in with your situation and availability. During this time mentors will listen to the challenges and obstacles that you are experiencing. They will share their own experiences of their struggles to overcome similar barriers and obstacles to living well with type 2 diabetes. They will also support you to identify your goals and encourage and support you in making positive steps to achieve them. The ultimate goal of this service is to help you self-manage your condition and to equip you with the knowledge to confidently live with type 2 diabetes.
“I think it has been a good service that has helped me maintain my diabetes. It was really good to know that I had someone to talk to and encourage me to push myself.”
Mentee
This program, based on our successful peer mentoring programs for other long-term health conditions, has been running since October 2018 and supporting people diagnosed within 18 months. It has had 100% positive feedback from people who have taken part, with everyone who has completed the program gaining a greater understanding of their condition, improvement in mood and feeling less isolated as a result. From July 2019 we are now pleased to be able to mentor anyone in Bristol living with type 2 diabetes regardless of how long they have been living with the condition, and we want to be able to help you!
“I mentor because I wish a service like this had been available for me when I was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I had a lot of false starts in managing it. Now that I feel I am, I’m really happy to be able to help others do the same”
Mentor
Subject to mentor availability, we are usually able to assess and match mentor pairings within 2-3 weeks. If you are or know people who may be interested in accessing peer mentors, please contact Sean Hourigan on 0117 9555038, or email diabetes@brigstowe.org.
We have recently carried out a mid-term evaluation of the Diabetes Peer Support Service. You can find an abbreviated version of the evaluation Here.
