Volunteering: Frequently Asked Questions

• Our volunteers do not need prior knowledge or experience in crisis support. Distress Centre offers comprehensive training to all new volunteers in topics including, but not limited to:

• • Crisis and suicide intervention
  • Youth issues, grief and loss
  • Mental health, communication skills
  • Addictions, domestic abuse
  • Being An Ally, and community partnerships
• Volunteers complete a series of online self-paced and attend classroom sessions either online or onsite
• Distress Centre adheres to a hybrid model of remote and in-person work. Volunteers will have the option to attend remote, evening, training classes or condensed, daytime, and in-person classes (dependent on training session)
• Remote evenings are run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm-9pm for 5 weeks
• Day time classes are run from 10 am-1 pm, daily for 10 days
• All volunteers complete a minimum of three coaching shifts (up to a maximum of five) with the full support of a coach. While this schedule is more flexible for the volunteers to find times that suit them, some flexibility is required to ensure this is completed in a timely manner

It is crucial that trainees attend all of the training sessions as there are important topics covered in each one to ensure they are prepared to go on the lines. As such, if they are not able to make all of the training sessions the trainees will be asked to wait for the next training cohort.

Successful completion of training is followed by a three-month probation period. This provides the volunteer and Distress Centre opportunities to determine if this is a good fit while providing additional support and learning opportunities.

Distress Centre expects volunteers to complete 48 shifts over the course of a year: on average 1 shift per week. For ConnecTeen volunteers, the commitment is 40 shifts over a 10-month period. Volunteers can complete shifts more frequently if they choose. The purpose behind the 48 shifts a year is to be able to ensure the lines always have adequate coverage. A commitment of one year is also necessary due to the cost to recruit, train, and support a volunteer.

While we understand that life circumstances can be unforeseeable, we encourage potential volunteers to wait until a time in their life they have confidence they can complete the commitment. We understand that certain life events happen and can occur unexpectedly. The expectation is that volunteers maintain communication with the agency.

Shifts on the crisis lines are four hours and fifteen minutes in length. * Our crisis chat and ConnecTeen shifts are five hours. *

There are two main ways that volunteers choose their shifts. They can request their preferences a month ahead of time, or they can self-schedule their own shifts within the month at their own discretion. The first volunteer is scheduled at six in the morning with a shift starting approximately every hour; the last phone line volunteer leaves at midnight. The last online services volunteer leaves at one am.*

ConnecTeen shifts only operate between 3pm-10:30pm Monday to Friday, and 12pm-10:30pm on weekends and holidays.

*There will be occasions where, due to unforeseen circumstances, the volunteer may need to stay past the formal shift end time.

Distress Centre strives to host monthly developmental training when the opportunity allows. Some topics have included: building assertiveness, mental health support in the community, gambler’s anonymity, parental alienation, to mention a few.

The crisis lines at Distress Centre are volunteer based, but staff supported. There are fully trained staff available to provide volunteers with guidance, support, referrals, and feedback. The decision to contact emergency services and other authorities is not made by our volunteers, nor is that decision taken lightly. However, it is the volunteer’s duty to notify a member of the Distress Centre staff when there is a person who is at risk to themselves or others.

Distress Centre operates a 24/7 crisis and distress line serving various communities regardless of age, race, gender, culture and religion. Contacts are concerned with a wide variety of issues, including situational distress, mental health challenges, bereavement, marginalization, domestic violence, abuse and suicide.

Distress Centre has a number of partnerships. Occasionally, our partnerships will transfer their lines to our agency. Including, but not limited to: Eastside Community Mental Health Services and Calgary Counselling Centre. Volunteers are responsible for answering those calls, taking messages, providing emotional support and information.

Volunteers are expected to fulfill the minimum commitment, in order to receive a letter of reference. Distress Centre does not provide general letters of reference.