NAMI Nebraska is the state chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a grassroots advocacy organization that works for people living with mental illness, their family members and other loved ones. NAMI works to promote recovery through support, education, and advocacy.

The LVC position at NAMI Nebraska focuses on community resources. People from across the state call the office looking for assistance finding mental health support in their communities. One of the primary responsibilities of the volunteer is to talk with people who are dealing with a crisis and help connect them with support services. A major part of the job is learning about available resources and making sure all the information is current. The volunteer is also responsible for social media outreach, putting together a quarterly newsletter, assisting with the NAMI Walk (primary fundraiser), general office administration, and other forms of community outreach such as attending events and NAMI education programs. NAMI Nebraska is a small office and there is a lot of room to be involved in different focuses of the organization.

Depending on the volunteer’s interests and abilities, it is possible to get involved with political advocacy on a state government level, program development, survey research projects about mental health needs/services in Omaha, among others. It should be emphasized that this position is best suited to an independent, self-starter.