Option A – Volunteer Training for Crisis Line Responders providing support from our Crisis Centre, with remote service options (next available in 2024)

• You will train to support service users for the following Crisis services:
  • Vancouver Island Crisis Line, Crisis Chat, and Crisis Text
  • Provincial 1800SUICIDE and 310Mental Health Support lines
  • National Talk Suicide Canada network, supporting via Voice and Text interactions

• Trainual virtual training core sessions completed weekly at your pace with set deadlines, designed to help build foundational crisis intervention skills
• Once a week, on Wednesday evenings, a three-hour mandatory scheduled group Zoom session from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, over the course of five weeks
• Discussing course material and practicing skills through role-plays
• One-on-one, in-person support shifts. Hands-on, practical application of the material learned. This segment of the training is where, as a volunteer, you will begin taking Crisis Line calls with staff mentorship and will familiarize yourself with the distress centre. When you are deemed ready to take calls on your own, you will begin volunteering on the lines!
• Chat and Text remote or in-person training, including support shifts – approximately 12 hours
• Talk Suicide Canada network training session and support shifts – approximately 16 hours

Option B – Volunteer Training for Remote Crisis Line Responders answering Vancouver Island Crisis Chat and Crisis Text only (next available in 2024)

• Support via Chat and Text is available to Vancouver Islanders only from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm Pacific, seven nights a week
• Trainual virtual core sessions completed weekly at your pace with set deadlines, designed to help build foundational crisis intervention skills
• Once a week, on Wednesday evenings, a three-hour mandatory scheduled group Zoom session from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, over the course of five weeks
• Discussing course material and practicing skills through role-plays
• Crisis Chat and Crisis Text remote training with support shifts – approximately 12 hours
• One-on-one remote support shifts. Hands-on, practical application of the material learned. This segment of the training is where, as a volunteer, you begin taking chat and text interactions with staff mentorship. When you are deemed ready to be take interactions on your own, you will begin volunteering with our Crisis Chat and Crisis Text service!

Option C – Volunteer Training for Crisis Line Responders providing support remotely only

• You will train to support service users for the following Crisis services:
  • Vancouver Island Crisis Chat and Crisis Text (postponed to 2024)
  • National Talk Suicide Canada network, supporting via Voice and Text interactions. Deadline to apply is June 22, 2023. Training for Option C begins on July 10, 2023.

• Trainual virtual core sessions completed weekly at your pace with set deadlines, designed to help build foundational crisis intervention skills
• Once a week, on Wednesday evenings, a three-hour mandatory scheduled group Zoom session from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, over the course of five weeks
• Discussing course material and practicing skills through role-plays
• Vancouver Island Crisis Chat and Crisis Text remote training with support shifts – approximately 12 hours
• One-on-one remote support shifts. Hands-on, practical application of the material learned. This segment of the training is where, as a volunteer, you begin taking chat and text interactions with staff mentorship. When you are deemed ready to take interactions on your own, you begin volunteering with our Crisis Chat and Crisis Text service!
• Talk Suicide Canada network remote training session and support shifts – approximately 16 hours
• When someone is ready to take national calls and text interactions on their own, they begin volunteering for the Talk Suicide Canada network!

 

Introduction and Training Dates
NEW: Training Options
Service, Commitment, Pre-Training, Fee
Frequently Asked Questions
Application Form
A Volunteer Crisis Line Responder's Reflections