Distress Centre Niagara is continually looking to add to our volunteer teams. No previous experience is needed and training is provided.
Distress Line Telephone Service
VOLUNTEER RESPONDER
Distress Centre Niagara is a 24/7 year-round, free and confidential telephone support program available to anyone in need in Niagara. Volunteer Crisis Responder will answer live calls and listen to callers concerns and assist them with solving their own problems, provide information and referrals where appropriate and intervene in life threatening situations. Hours of service are to be completed at our location.
The Mental Health and Addictions Access Line is a program offered by Distress Centre Niagara. It is the first point of access to mental health and addiction services for adult residents of Niagara. It is a free and confidential service available 24/7 year-round. Volunteer Responders provide immediate support and help the individual seeking help to explore what help is most appropriate to fit their individual needs. With consent, the Access Line will provide a connection to the appropriate service or services. Volunteers supporting this program are required to give 48 hours of support on the distress line to gain experience and comfort in supporting callers before completing the additional training specific to this program. Hours of service are to be completed at our location.
Distress Centre Niagara offers an all ages online chat and text service. This service is accessible from any computer, web-based device or mobile phone between the hours of 2pm to 2am EST, seven days a week. Volunteer Crisis responders provide confidential one-on-one support for anyone regardless of age, issues or concerns. This is an online virtual position.
Distress Centre Niagara is a charity member of the Delta Gaming Association of St. Catharines. Volunteers will attend the gaming Centre and will be responsible for greeting the patrons, potentially calling back winning bingo cards and provide information about Distress Centre Niagara services as requested by patrons. Volunteers are need every fourth Monday and Wednesday from 9:30am to 11:30am.
For all responder positions, we ask each volunteer to commit to a minimum of 192 hours of service to be completed in a one-year time period. This breaks down to just 16 hours of service PER MONTH. Of those 16 hours per month, we ask that 8 of those hours be completed as an overnight shift. While the volunteer shifts do have specific start times, each volunteer is able to select their own shifts on days and times that are most convenient for them.
TIME COMMITMENT
Charity Bingo Ambassador
For the Charity Bingo Ambassador positions, we ask each volunteer to commit to filling a minimum of one two hour shift each month. The schedule is preset and volunteers can select the shift that is most convenient for them.
