If you volunteer do you disclose your condition?

When you go to have an interview for volunteer work, do you disclose your diagnosis? What do you say?

I say not unless you need some type of accommodation.

They do not need to know otherwise

In the case of one position, yes. I drive a school bus on a volunteer basis. It is generally considered unethical to not disclose medical conditions. I also have to pass an annual physical exam, which I do, to certify me to drive said school bus. The fact that the school employees know me personally and how reliable I am plus the fact that Iā€™ve passed my medical mean itā€™s not a problem. I am the first driver they call when they need someone because I am considered the most reliable and also one of the safest drivers.

Disclosing isnā€™t always a bad thing and those of us who are higher functioning do need to push back against the stigma that comes with this condition.

Pixel.

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I think the job would involve working with kids until the 8th grade more or less. But I donā€™t know for sure. And to be honest Iā€™m quite scared because they are very perceptive.

Iā€™m waiting for a phone call to know some more details. I just canā€™t stand being around the house doing nothing all day.

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If you are working around kids it is probably better to disclose. If your doctor knows about this and is okay with it (I hope you discussed this with him/her first), be sure to emphasize that. Getting a letter even would be a good idea. Those of us with mental illness have plenty to offer back to our communities and should not be shy about it.

Good on you for doing this ā€“ I wish you luck with it.

Pixel.

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I have no letter, but the tdoc at the hospital considers this an option. Nevertheless I will only see my pdoctor one month from now, so I canā€™t have the letter.

I havenā€™t made up any plans yet, but because I feel cornered in my house I feel I should do something. Iā€™m afraid of the kids to be honest.

I think thatā€™s fine. If your doctor is okay with it and they can call him for a reference, thatā€™s good.

They wear me down, too. I need to take some quiet time after each field trip to ā€˜recoverā€™. A bus full of teens can be hard on anyoneā€™s nerves. I suggest not doing the volunteer work every day at the start ā€“ make sure you build some breaks in for yourself.

Pixel.

Been working at charity shop now over a year
The subject of my health never came up
They never asked

And you do not have to disclose either

I work with kids, and I never told anyone about my condition. It is none of their business, and I donā€™t require special accommodation. It is up to you. Iā€™m afraid I would get fired if they found out though.

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I worked with kids for years as a special ed paraprofessional (special ed aide).

I needed accommodations at work so I told my principal, another coworker, and the Human Resources Dept. about my mental illness - at the time, bipolar.

I was Harassed by different people afterwards - they even transferred me out of the school, I had to fight to get my old job back.

Its a big risk telling Employers and co workers about your mental illness.

Employment discrimination and stigma is a very real problem

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Besides the woman (acquaintance) was supposed to call me, she didnā€™t.
And I am not to keen on phoning her.

Sheā€™s part of the family therapy group on fridays we go toā€¦ and she will probably mention there that I phoned her but she wonā€™t call me till then. Or maybe Iā€™m just plotting everything in my mind.

Anyway, this staying at home doing nothing and with no one to talk to besides the old folks - that donā€™t talk much of anything - has got to stop, but Itā€™s like a freaking train coming to a wall and the breaks donā€™t work. What do I do!

I would wait for some kind of answer from this woman - it shouldnt be long.

Once you have your answer, positive or negative, you can move on - you can always apply to other volunteer jobs in the future

Nope, but the EIP and the care home I was in at the time acted as references for my first volunteer job.

Iā€™m still there 4 years later and they never ask me any questions!

For my other volunteering role it was a pre requisite ā€œLived Experienceā€ as a peer support volunteer.

Do you have access to transportation? Why donā€™t you go out to a coffee shop or a library and just sit and read? Even when you donā€™t interact with them, being around other people has a positive effect on the brain.

Hello miss @cj9556 that is a good idea too. I went to the beach the other day but then I felt awful afterwards. My father says that when I get out and come this always happens.

I think if u only feel comfortable doing this

I mostly do things I only am comfortable with. ā€œI have it easyā€

But not doing things out of fear - terror - at all makes me suffer.

so you want to face your fears:) sometimes your illness doesnā€™t define who you are as a person so there is a lot of stigma out there, I would be careful

So you are certified and drive a bus full of kids around?

This sounds like a episode of the Simpsonsā€¦now come on pixel .