Did you know that around 1 in 5 Mums and birthing people will develop a mental illness in the ante/perinatal period? At LATNEM (AKA Let’s All Talk North East Mums) we have lived experience. We’ve been there and now provide a safe, free peer support group for mums and birthing people in the North East of Scotland. LATNEM is registered as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)-registration number: SC051029. We now have an exciting opportunity for the right person to help us start an Aberdeen group. Our groups are warm, welcoming spaces where Mums and birthing people can come together and support each other, guided and assisted by our trained volunteers. Volunteers tasks include: • Prepare room for peer support meetings, return room to original state after meeting • Manage stock of resources and refreshments for meetings • Provide members with refreshments • Facilitate peer support group • Building supportive and respectful relationships with members • Supporting others using the personal experience and confidence you have gained having overcome similar challenges • Talk openly and honestly about your experiences, demonstrating that poor maternal mental health is nothing to be ashamed of • Assisting people to identify their own recovery goals • Providing information and support to family and friends of members where required • Signposting members to professional services, other 3rd Sector support • Modelling personal responsibility, self-awareness, self-belief, self-advocacy and hopefulness • Processing personal members data in line with GDPR • Responding to enquiries about the group • Identifying material to share via Social Media Excellent support and relevant training is provided to all volunteers Including: • Initially meetings will be run with a trained LATNEM volunteer/founder as a mentor to the new volunteer. • Full Safeguarding training will be given by LATNEM safeguarding officer. • An accredited Mental Health First Aid qualification will be paid for by LATNEM (subject to a training fees agreement). • LATNEM provide insurance with access to an Employee Assistance counselling and legal advice line. All help is greatly appreciated and makes a real difference. For further information please contact Gill Skene, Chair and Peer Supporter at email: latnem@yahoo.com Further details are also available on our website at: https://latnem.org/

At the heart of The Breastfeeding Network are volunteers who give their time to support other families in their local communities. They are currently looking for volunteers who are interested in supporting other new mums to be able to breastfeed their babies and who would like to be involved in the setting up of a new weekly group in the Cowdenbeath area of Fife. They are also looking for volunteers to support current groups in Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy. Their volunteers are required to be trained as breastfeeding peer supporters. This free, accredited training leads to an OCN level 2 qualification. All their volunteers have personal experience of breastfeeding or giving breastmilk to their baby. Both during the training and when volunteering, volunteers can have their babies/toddlers with them. The aim is for training to start in mid-May and for volunteers to be active by the beginning of September 2024.

We run face to face breastfeeding support groups every day Monday to Friday in Midlothian. Once complete, the training will qualify volunteering at any of these groups to support families with their breastfeeding journey. We also support a national Zoom call every Tuesday evening. Some people volunteer weekly, others monthly, others somewhere in between, it’s what works for you. We do ask that you have some breastfeeding experience, but you do not have to be currently breastfeeding. If you need to take your child with you to training in order for it to work for you, that is fine and this applies for facilitating groups too. This is accredited training and for this course you’ll receive 6 credits at level 2 with the Open College Network. Once qualified there is an element of supervision that is required. Closing date for applications 20th August, training for role starts 12th September.

Are you a parent in Scotland? Do you remember what it was like becoming a first time parent? The Why Not Trust are looking for volunteers to become Peer Mentors, providing support to soon to be or new care-experienced parents. We know it take a village to raise a child, but not everyone has the same support networks around them. We aim to create a judgment and stigma-free community of mentors and mentees where trusting one-to-one relationships can be established. What does a Peer Mentor do? • Chat with your mentee on a regular basis, roughly 4 hours per month • Encourage, empower and champion your mentee • Provide gentle guidance in relation to parenting • Engage with your mentee in a non judgemental, caring and supportive way Some of the many benefits our volunteers can expect: • Become part of a supportive and welcoming community • Get matched with a fellow parent you have something in common with • Meetings that fit your schedule – online or in person • Receive accredited mentor training • Get paid for your travel expenses and other expenses • Improve your own confidence as well as your mentees • Develop your communication and listening skills The Why Not? Trust is working towards doing things differently. If you would like to become a Peer Mentor or would like more information, please email our Peer Mentor Lead, Ashleigh at ashleigh.donaldson@whynottrust.org or call on 07850725799. We look forward to hearing from you!