Volunteer

Step Up

Improve your confidence and support your mental health through volunteering – join our Step Up service.

Our team offers tailored coaching, support finding and starting a volunteer role and paid jobs, wellbeing and employment workshops and links to local services.

About the Service

Volunteering is proven to play a key role in improving mental health, and is recommended by the NHS.

Besides supporting our members with their mental health, confidence, and goals, our team also aids community groups with volunteer management, to provide support and care to volunteers. These partnerships help develop environments which embrace people experiencing mental health challenges.

By joining Step Up, our members become part of a growing support network, leading to improved self-worth and new skills. As a result, people are more able to take on new challenges and explore different opportunities.

How To Get Involved

If you are over 18, live in Hackney or City of London and are struggling with your mental health, please do reach out to us. You don’t need a medical diagnosis to join our Step Up service. Choose one of the options below to get started.

Sign up

You don’t need a medical diagnosis to join Step Up – and it’s completely free. Just email our team and we can chat to you about how we can help.

Refer a client

To refer someone you work with to Step Up, please fill in our form and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Fill in our form

Chat to us

If you’d prefer to talk to someone on the phone, you can call our office and ask to speak to the Step Up team.
020 7241 4443

Read a case study

Read about A and their experience with Step Up.
Being part of Step Up
Black woman in a headscarf smiles at the camera

Before I started volunteering, I found myself isolated and lacking confidence. I’m Muslim, from Somali culture, mental health is a taboo. Volunteering taught me to embrace whatever came my way and handle diverse situations with ease, and I eventually secured a paid position

Farhiya – Step Up member
Black woman in a headscarf smiles at the camera
a Black man in an orange apron sitting at a table with a cup of coffee and a white man with a moustache laughing

I started volunteering because I was out of work for 5 years after losing my mum. I had nowhere to go. I now volunteer every Friday at the 2nd Chance Cafe. It keeps me calm and I get to meet new people.

Lewis – Step Up member
a Black man in an orange apron sitting at a table with a cup of coffee and a white man with a moustache laughing
Black woman with long braids, sunglasses, funky rings and a big grin gives us a thumbs up. She's in a sunny garden.

Volunteering helps when you experience mental health problems. It boosts your confidence, it gets you out, you meet people, have a laugh.

Portuia – Step Up member
Black woman with long braids, sunglasses, funky rings and a big grin gives us a thumbs up. She's in a sunny garden.

Want To Know More?

If you want to find out any more information about working with us, joining Step Up, or about the service more widely, get in touch with our friendly team.

Richard Howlett

Step Up Programme Manager

Cornelia Harrison

Step Up Progression Coach