Become a Volunteer

NAMI Multnomah is a peer-based, grassroots organization, and volunteers play a vital role. Volunteers are peers and must be able to manage their mental health conditions, be comfortable speaking about their own experiences with mental health conditions, complete free training, and follow the structure of NAMI programs. Our volunteers:

• Facilitate support groups

• Teach NAMI mental health classes

• Share their stories

• Give educational presentations

• Lead community events and more!

To volunteer with us:

1. Review the open positions below.

2. Complete our Volunteer Form.

3. Then, we’ll be in touch soon to invite you to a volunteer orientation.

Open Positions

Family Support Group Facilitators

We are seeking family members or loved ones of people living with mental illness to co-facilitate our Family Support Groups.

Support group leaders share their wisdom and experience to help others who are struggling with similar experiences. Family support group facilitators volunteer in pairs to lead the group.

Facilitators must have experience participating in a family support group and complete a two-day training (usually offered online via Zoom). After training, we provide opportunities to shadow experienced facilitators before leading the group with another volunteer.

Volunteers are needed for these family support groups:

• The Family Support Group meets weekly on Mondays from 6:00 to 7:30 PM.

• The Partners & Spouses Support Group meets twice per month on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 PM.

• The Military Family Support Group meets on the second Thursday of each month from 6:00 to 7:30 PM.

Peer support group Facilitators

We are seeking peers living well in their mental health journey to co-facilitate our peer support groups.

Peer support group facilitators are peers to the group they support (i.e., Veterans, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, etc.) and are living well on their mental health journey. These leaders share their stories, wisdom, and experience with other peers seeking support on their mental health journey. Peer support group facilitators volunteer in pairs to lead the group.

Facilitators must have experience participating in a peer support group and complete a two-day training (usually offered online via Zoom). After training, we provide opportunities to shadow experienced facilitators before leading the group with another volunteer.

Volunteers are needed for the BIPOC, Connection, and Complex Trauma & Dissociation peer support groups. We are also seeking a female veteran or service member to co-facilitate our Military Support Group.

Mental health class teachers

We are seeking peers and family members to teach our Peer-to-Peer and Family-to-Family mental health classes. Volunteers teach the class in pairs, and classes are offered virtually or in person three to four times per year. Completion of a Peer-to-Peer or Family-to-Family class is required before attending the two-day training. The trainings are usually offered online via Zoom. After training, we provide opportunities to shadow experienced teachers before leading a class with another volunteer.

We especially encourage you to volunteer if you love to teach and:

• Have already completed one of these classes.

• Are a Veteran or Military Service Member.

• Identify as a member of the BIPOC or LGBTQ+ communities.