Advisory Group Member in Leatherhead

We’re actively looking for lived experience advisors who work together with staff, Trustees, and other volunteers to provide a non-clinical lived experience perspective and support the strategic direction of Mary Frances Trust.

Location: Hybrid (Surrey with face-to-face meetings in Leatherhead)

Time commitment: 2-4 hours per month

Term: Ongoing with regular commitment

About Mary Frances Trust

Mary Frances Trust (MFT) is a Surrey‑based charity supporting people with mental health and emotional wellbeing. We offer a variety of free services to Surrey residents (16+) including wellbeing information and advice, a range of activities and interest groups, peer support, self‑help groups, individual support, and volunteering opportunities.

Our Advisory Group (AG)

Our Advisory Group (AG) is a forum of lived experience advisors who work together with staff, Trustees, and other volunteers to provide a non-clinical lived experience perspective and support the strategic direction of Mary Frances Trust, with a designated workplan each year. Advisory Group members are Surrey‑residents who contribute to organisational projects and discussions, primarily informed by their lived experience and (where relevant) additional professional experience, to support and shape Mary Frances Trust and wider community support.

Meetings take place on the first Tuesday of every month with alternating times and locations:

• 10:00-11:15am on Zoom
• 5:00-6:15pm on Zoom
• 1:30–3.30pm at 23 The Crescent, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 8DY

Key Functions of the Advisory Group

• Support the strategic direction of Mary Frances Trust.
• Contribute lived and professional experience to improve services, the organisation, and everyday working practices.
• Bring diverse knowledge and expertise to guide policy and practice.
• Provide feedback and perspectives not always considered.
• Help ensure services and support reflect community needs and values.
• Amplify voices of those who may not otherwise be heard.
• Represent the Advisory Group in internal and external meetings.

Examples of Advisory Group members involvement

• Reviewed leaflets and other promotional material for Mary Frances Trust.
• Participated in co‑production workshops to create a co‑production process and measurement framework.
• Co‑designed Community Connections Volunteer Training.
• Co‑presented to the Board of Trustees in the annual co‑production update.
• Participated in interview panels for staff and Trustee positions.
• Support ad‑hoc requests e.g., participating in short‑term focus groups for a specific project.
• Complete mandatory training (Data Protection and Safeguarding) and take part in other suggested training to develop skills and expertise where needed.
• Attend Advisory Group monthly meetings, notifying the Co‑Production Lead in advance if unavailable.
• Attend ad‑hoc meetings and other opportunities that come up throughout the year.
• Attend annual events including Advisory Group Away Day (Autumn) and Mary Frances Trust’s Annual General Meeting (Autumn/Winter).
• Follow up on meeting actions, respond to emails in a timely manner, and maintain communication with the Co‑Production Lead.
• Remain open‑minded, compassionate, and kind when working with fellow Advisory Group members, staff, Trustees, and other members of the Mary Frances Trust community.

What to expect from us

• Be part of a friendly and supportive group.
• Make a positive difference to the lives of other people in Surrey.
• Experience working alongside Mary Frances Trust staff and other volunteers with lived experience.
• Gain a holistic view of the organisation and engage with multiple areas, projects, and teams.
• Opportunity to give back and provide insightful knowledge that will be considered and included in decision‑making.
• Re‑imbursement of travel expenses (for non‑online AG meetings).
• Provided training relevant to the role (Data Protection and Safeguarding).
• Build co‑production knowledge, confidence, and understanding about how to apply it and work in this collaborative way.
• Increase understanding of the local mental health system and add input into developments happening within the local area.

Qualities that make an Advisory Group Member

• Interest in and/or experience of Mary Frances Trust.
• Passionate about improving mental health support and services in Surrey.
• Ability to voice your views and challenge other people respectfully.
• Open‑minded and open to feedback, with good listening skills.
• Ability to follow the group’s principles:

• Respect other voices and people’s opinions.
• Allow everyone a fair chance to participate.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Remain compassionate when providing feedback.
• Value each other’s contributions.

Please note: As this is a lived experience‑based volunteer role, you are required to have personal lived experience of mental health challenges and/or have supported someone who has. All successful candidates will be required to undertake a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check in line with our MFT Volunteering Policy. You do not need to have any previous volunteer experience to volunteer for this role, however the ability to communicate well with others is key.

We believe in a fair, equal, diverse and inclusive society. As an organisation, we believe we are stronger and richer when we bring together different experiences and perspectives to better serve our clients and local community. We are committed to creating a workforce that is diverse, inclusive of all, representative of the community we serve, promotes positivity, and instils a can‑do attitude in everyone, no matter their background or characteristics at every level of our organisation from our staff and volunteers, all the way to our Trustees and Patrons. We strongly encourage applications from members of every community and actively seek to hire people with lived experience of mental health issues.