Volunteering

If you have attempted suicide in the past or lost someone close to you to suicide, your personal experience could be used to educate the public about the issues surrounding suicide and provide hope and encouragement for others.

Choose Life has recognised the need to work with journalists and broadcasters to inform their coverage of mental health issues. Central to this approach has been the ability to help individuals with first-hand experience of suicide to publicly tell their own stories.

Full training is given to prepare you for being interviewed by the media and although the impact is greatest if volunteers disclose their identity, there is an option to remain anonymous.  Ongoing support is also provided during and after all media work.

In three years, volunteers have featured in a range of local and national press, in magazines and on TV and radio broadcasts to talk about a range of mental health issues, including positive mental wellbeing, mental ill-health, suicidal intentions, bereavement, stigma and recovery.

"I lost my son Phillip to depression, then suicide on 7th April 2004. I became a media volunteer because I wanted people to know that depression and suicide can happen to anyone. People feeling suicidal should not be ashamed to seek help, and more importantly should be listened to and taken seriously. I have gained so much from being a volunteer. The training was really good and has helped me to understand what a journalist is looking for and to get the most important points across. I have also met wonderful, brave people who, by talking about what has happened to them, are trying to make a difference to their and other peoples’ lives."

Moureen Leitch, Choose Life Media Volunteer

During Mental Health Week 2006 (9th-15th October) some of our Media Volunteers were featured on "Talking Scotland", a series of short programmes transmitted across Scottish Television, which covers issues of importance to Scottish people.

To view the clips about mental health, click here

Further Information

The Media Volunteers Programme was developed and is co-ordinated by See Me.

For an informal chat about whether this opportunity is right for you, please contact See Me on:

0131 624 8945

or email:

info@seemescotland.org