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Volunteer Position
Description
| Title: |
Volunteer Helpline Worker |
| Supervision: |
Reports to Director of Program Development
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| Skills,
Attitudes, Knowledge: |
- Must be age 18
and over (if 17 must have peer counselling experience)
- Must be caring, non-judgemental
and good listener
- Must be able to keep
accurate and complete written records of calls.
- Must be willing to
undergo initial telephone interview and ongoing training
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| Responsibilities: |
- Speak to distressed
callers - utilize active listening, crisis and suicide risk assessment
tools and intervention techniques and refer, according to Distress
Centre training
- Keep written records
and reports on all incoming calls and write recommendations to
supervisor
- Attend Basic Training
and Advanced Training. Participate in Team Meetings, In-service
Meetings and Workshops, to update skills and to remain up-dated
on all new and relevant techniques, services, etc
- Maintain accurate
track of and log all volunteer hours contributed
- Adhere to all the
policies and procedures of Distress Centre Durham
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| Training: |
- *Basic Training focuses
on effective communication, active listening skills (empathy,
clarification/paraphrasing, open-ended questions, building confidence,
referral/resource info. if appropriate, etc.) crisis and suicide
risk assessment, theory & techniques in intervention and prevention.
- With a focus on the
unique needs of adult learners, the training workshops are delivered
using a variety of techniques including:
training tapes, manuals, group discussions and role-plays
- Orientation (includes
tour of call centre, computer training, introduction to the community
resources and referrals database and policy review)
- Advanced Training
will enhance active listening and crisis de-escalation skills
and offer instruction in stress management techniques
- In-Service Training’s
deal with relevant topics of interest to the helpline workers.
Attendance is mandatory at 1 (minimum) per year
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| Time Commitment: |
16 hours per month = at
least one 8 hour overnight and 2 four - hour shifts
*Time Commitment for Students 12 hours per month. |
| Duration: |
Minimum - *200 hours (*average
16 hrs per month for 1 year) |
| Benefits: |
- Interpersonal communication,
and risk assessment skills which will be of benefit in both personal
and professional relationships.
- A detailed letter
of reference upon fulfilment of the Volunteer Contract.
- Computer training
and an opportunity to work on data collection and word processing
software program.
- An opportunity to
transition into other volunteer positions with various Distress
Centre Durham services.
- Opportunities to build
and develop skills relevant to human and social service work.
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