Distress Centre Niagara is currently seeking compassionate volunteers who are interested in providing support to the Niagara community, while gaining valuable front line experience in crisis support, mental health, and addictions.

Distress Centre Niagara provides a free, confidential telephone support service delivered by highly skilled volunteers who assist anyone in need in the Niagara Region. Volunteer crisis workers listen to callers’ concerns, assist callers with solving their own problems, provide information and referrals where appropriate and intervene in life threatening situations.

The Distress Centre is also home to the Mental Health and Addictions Access Line, a free telephone service available 24/7 for adult (16 years of age and older) residents of Niagara where volunteer responders provide:

  • Exploration of client needs and immediate emotional support
  • Direct connection to the most appropriate mental health and/or addictions service via a warm transfer

The Mental Health and Addictions Access line is a partnership of 16 local mental health and addictions service providers, working together to exemplify the principles of partnership, knowledge exchange, information, and individual and family centred services laid out in the Niagara Mental Health and Addictions Charter.

For more information about the Mental Health and Addictions Access Line, read this blog about how the Access Line helps Niagara citizens navigate services, or listen to the webinar recording entitled “Mental Health and Addictions Access Line: Uses, Impact & Future Potential.

Benefits of volunteering with Distress Centre Niagara include:

  • Providing comfort to people who think no one cares enough to listen
  • Knowing you are making a difference in someone’s life
  • Learning skills which will benefit you in future personal and professional relationships
  • Gaining valuable knowledge of the supports offered in the Niagara Region
  • Having access to advanced educational opportunities
  • Participating as a key team player to the service of Distress Centre Niagara

Training

Volunteers are provided with all of the necessary training required; there is no previous experience necessary.

The next training sessions will be held in the evening on November 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, December 1 and 6, 2016.

Application

For more information and to apply online visit: www.distresscentreniagara.com/volunteer/

 

Kyrsten Boucher

Team Lead Mental Health and Addictions Access Line
Distress Centre Niagara
dcniagara@distresscentreniagara.com

Like us on Facebook at @accesslineniagara or follow us on Twitter @DCNiagara