When we bring the perspective of the family AND the person living with mental illness directly to policymakers, we educate elected officials to prioritize policy decisions that ensure quality services and enhance recovery for the mental health community in New York.

Become an Advocacy Ambassador
Join the fight for better mental health services in NYC and share your story with elected officials! The NAMI-NYC Advocacy Ambassador program provides families and individuals impacted by mental illness with the skills and training needed to meet with elected officials and create change in their communities.

Click here to learn more about our policy priorities, the Ambassador program, and to apply.

Are you a parent, sibling, partner, or adult child of someone with a mental illness? Use your valuable lived experience to support another family member.

A Family Match Mentor provides one-to-one support over the phone for 3 months. You are paired with someone in the same relationship, loving someone with similar symptoms or diagnoses.

Through your good instincts and training in active listening, you’ll help other family members:

• Feel less alone and more hopeful
• Understand resources at NAMI-NYC and beyond
• Consider realistic expectations and relationships with their loved one
• Prioritize their own health and needs

This role is for family members of someone living with a mental health condition ONLY.

What qualities do successful mentors have? They…

• Value support and educating themselves
• Enjoy connecting with a variety of people
• Can balance sharing with privacy
• Are solid communicators and organizers
• As a bonus, speak Spanish fluently

With your experience of loving and being supported, you can provide empathy in the most meaningful way – because you’ve been there

If this role sounds like a fit for you, please fill out this application here.

About the Helpline

The NAMI-NYC Helpline is a phone, text, and chat support line offering emotional support, mental health information, and referrals. Our trained Helpline Responders are all peers—individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges and/or family members of someone living with mental illness—who bring empathy and understanding to every interaction.

The Helpline is available Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM Eastern.

The Volunteer Opportunity

Our Helpline Responders rely on hundreds of up-to-date mental health resources to support callers navigating New York City’s complex and fragmented mental health system. Currently, these resources are stored across multiple Microsoft Word documents, which makes them difficult to search, maintain, and update.

We’re seeking a volunteer who can help us find a more efficient, searchable, and affordable solution.

What Are “Resources”?

When someone contacts the Helpline, we often provide referrals to services or organizations that match their specific needs. For example, a caller may be seeking shelter options for a family member experiencing homelessness, or mental health services in a particular borough.

We maintain hundreds of these resources in an internal “hub” and regularly search through them to follow up with callers. Improving how these resources are organized will directly improve how quickly and effectively we can support people in need.

What You’ll Do

As a volunteer, you will:

• Research affordable apps or technology platforms for storing and organizing resources
• Identify solutions that allow searching by keyword and other filters
• Present recommended options to the Helpline team
• If a solution is selected, support the team in understanding how to implement it

Time Commitment

This is a short-term project lasting approximately 2–3 months and requiring about 25 total hours. You’ll work independently, with occasional check-ins with the Helpline Director.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should complete the application by February 28, 2026.

In Our Own Voice (IOOV) is a powerful program that breaks down stigma and challenges stereotypes about mental health. Through honest, personal storytelling, our volunteers help audiences understand what living with a mental health condition really looks like—and inspire hope.

As an IOOV Presenter, you’ll:

• Share your mental health journey in a safe, supportive setting
• Work in a team of two to lead presentations
• Answer questions and help others learn about mental health
• Make a real impact in workplaces, schools, hospitals, and community groups

Who we’re looking for:

• You have lived experience with a mental health condition
• You’re comfortable speaking openly about your journey
• You can attend in-person presentations during business hours (10 AM–6 PM, Mon–Fri)
• You’re ready to complete NAMI-NYC training and become a member

Why volunteer?
Your story can change how people think about mental health—and help create a more compassionate world.

Important Dates:
Application open January 5, 2026 – March 1, 2026.

Mark your calendar to come back and apply!

NAMI-NYC Support Groups are led by trained peer facilitators who use their lived experience to guide supportive, nonjudgemental conversations.

We are currently in need of facilitators who meet all the following criteria:

1. You have a mental health condition
2. You have Latin American or Spanish heritage
3. You are bilingual in Spanish and English

Facilitator training is a multistep process that begins with attending support groups as a participant and volunteering behind the scenes as a Host Volunteer.

To find support groups to join as a participant, check out our calendar here.

To apply as a Host volunteer, please fill out this application here.

Co-lead safe, supportive spaces for teens to share their experiences with mental health. Facilitators are trained in group dynamics and peer support. Must have lived experience with a mental health condition

Qualifications:

• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Comfortable using Zoom and Microsoft Office
• Must identify as someone with mental health challenges.
• Must be an active listener without judgement and approach all visitors with respect.
• Ages 18-30

If this role sounds like a fit for you, please fill out this application here.

Are you 18-24 with lived experience with mental health challenges? Or are you a parent, caregiver, or professional supporting teens struggling with their mental health?

Members of the group will participate in virtual meetings to:

• Help shape programs that reflect what teens actually need
• Connect with other community members who care about youth mental health
• Build leadership skills and add meaningful experience to your resume

Whether you’re a young person looking to lead, a caregiver supporting your child’s growth, or a professional guiding young people, we’d love to hear from you.

If this role sounds like a fit for you, please fill out this application here.