302 W. Weaver Street     Carrboro, NC 27510     919.942.8083
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Mental Health Association
in Orange County
Qualifications: Kindness, gentleness, patience, dependability. Experience with mental illness helpful but not necessary.

Time requirement: Minimum of one hour per week for at least one year. (Some variability due to vacations, illness, etc., is expected.)

Responsible to:  
(1) Compeer staff
(2) Referring mental health professional
(3) Compeer friend

Screening: Application, interview by Compeer staff, interview by referring mental health professional.
Training: Initial training for 3.5 hours (usually on a Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.).Follow-up training for 1 - 1.5 hours (usually on a Thursday at 5:30 p.m.).
Optional follow-up trainings and support meetings every two months.

Duties: A Compeer volunteer is matched in a one-to-one friendship with a person who is in treatment for a mental illness. After being carefully screened and trained, the volunteer is matched with an individual of the same gender, often close in age, and with similar interests. The volunteer and Compeer friend then make a commitment to spend at least one hour per week together for at least one year, doing activities they both enjoy. The Compeer volunteer provides individual support, which assists his/her friend with socialization, recreation, and community interaction skills. Compeer’s goal is to complement professional care by providing a meaningful friendship and role model outside of the traditional mental health setting. Participants may attain a higher level of functioning by improving their communication and social skills, developing an improved sense of security, and increasing self-esteem and interpersonal trust. The volunteer may also serve as an advocate for his/her friend.

The above job description is general. The volunteer’s duties are highly individualized depending on the needs of the Compeer friend.

Additional Requirements

Volunteer must submit monthly reports to the Mental Health Association in Orange County.

Call us at 919.942.8083  -or-  email us at info@mhaorangeoc.org to find out more!

Compeer Volunteer Job Description
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Mental Health Association