Join the Community Guide team - applications are now open for January 2022 🎉

[Daisydreamer]

Hi there SANE Community and to all the amazing people who responded to this post, 

Firstly, I want to say a huge thank you to all those who have applied. We have had an incredible response, and we are so grateful for each and every one of you 🙂 

If you haven't applied but still want to, or have partially completed the application, there is still time! You are welcome to complete the application this evening 🙂 We start reviewing applications later this week. 

Secondly to all those who reached out to let us know that now is not the right time, I really admire and appreciate your willingness to set boundaries for your mental health and wellbeing. This is so important, and I am grateful that you have been open with me and the team about how you are feeling about the role. There will always be more opportunities in future, as we have recruitment every 6 months 🙂

What are the next steps?

The applications will close tonight, and the SANE Forums Team will begin reviewing all the applications. We aim to get back to every applicant by Monday the 31st of January to let you know the outcome. 

In the meantime, if you have any questions you are more than welcome to email the team and I at team@saneforums.org

You are all leaders

One last note to say that whether you choose to join the Community Guide Program or not, all of our Senior Contributors are leaders in our community. We wouldn't have the community we have today if it wasn't for you, so thank you for all you do for your peers, for the community and for SANE. We see and appreciate you

[Tinker67]

Hello @Daisydreamer 

A sincere thank you for this invitation.  I am humbled.  I will decline at this stage as we have our hands a bit full with our boy at the moment.  He's been very unwell lately and I have been absent on the forum.  Fortunately he is on a voluntary admission to the sub acute ward at the moment, we are very grateful he could get in.  I've just returned from a week at the coast with our youngest boy and feeling much more refreshed.  I'm about to resume Uni studies this semester so I won't add another role to an already hectic schedule.  But I do hope to pitch in and help in future, as I have found the community and non judgemental acceptance I have found here among forum members has been a lifeline for me.  Until I joined the forum, I didn't have anyone who either had a lived experience of OCD and schizophrenia or any carers to talk with.  The Sane forum has been a precious support.  

All the best to the new Community Guides, I hope you enjoy your new roles.  

Tinker 🙂 xx

[Sophia1]

Hello @Daisydreamer 

My apologies re my late response to the offer of joining the Community Guide Team..

I have been absent from the forums since late last year for most of the time.

I am currently still advocating for my son and finding out about so many organisations that I did not know about; in different states of course. Son now hospitalised again in acute services.

On several occasions I have been invited to join these organisations as an advocate.

This appears to be the leading forward model; utilising expertise of lived experience.

Whilst it is a passion of mine and something that is an integral part of who I am; I now realise that I have been advocating for my son since he was a young boy.

I have also been advocating for myself in not being heard in particular within the health industry across a vast area. This has been ongoing and building up to a point where I am now speaking up.

This requires so much of my time and energy.

I am determined to push through this challenge.

I would love to futher support so many on here, however have had to place even firmer boundaries in place as I can feel my energy becoming depleted.

I do realise that I am no super human being.

Should my world take a sudden spin into another realm and I suddenly find life has taken care of self; son and family I would love to take up the offer at another time.

All the best to all who step up..Well done that will probably be the most difficult part.

If you happen to be looking to volunteer or move into a different direction in your career; ask organisations that you have a passion about or interest in about peer support work and lived experience.

Sophia

[Daisydreamer]

Hi @Sophia1, thank you so much for letting us know where you are at, and setting your boundaries with your time and energy. So important when you have so many other things you are doing in advocating for your son, for yourself, and within the mental health system

I saw your post to say you are taking some time away, and want to send lots of love and thoughts your way. Hoping with so much going on that you are able some time for you too

[Daisydreamer]

Hi @Tinker67, I really appreciate you letting us know that it's not the right time for you. It sounds like there is a lot you are carrying for your family at the moment between caring and studying. We are all thinking of you and your son! I know the wait list for sub acute units are normally sooo long, so hoping that now he is there the experience helps to support you both in his recovery

[Daisydreamer]

Hi Forums Community 🙂 

Thank you to everyone who is patiently waiting to hear about the outcome of your application! We have been blown away by the large number of applications, and the quality 🙂 So much so, we will need a bit more time than we anticipated to read through them all and let you know. 

We will be in touch by Monday the 7th of Feb at the absolute latest to let you know the outcome, and will begin an orientation month on the 14th of Feb for those who will be joining the CG Program! 

Thank you again to everyone who has applied, I am so excited by the love of peer support that is shining through in the applications

Please feel free to tag me here or email me at team@saneforums.org if you have any questions 🙂