S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Chinese Help Lines (.U.C.C.E.S.S. CHINESE HELP LINES VOLUNTEER RESPONDER 中僑心理熱線招募義工)

Organization Name: S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Chinese Help Lines
Opportunity Title: .U.C.C.E.S.S. CHINESE HELP LINES VOLUNTEER RESPONDER 中僑心理熱線招募義工
Category: Counselling / Support / Mentoring
Commitment: Ongoing Opportunity (> 1 year)
Start Date: February 4, 2020
End Date: February 5, 2021

Email: chlvolunteer@success.bc.ca
Website: http://www.bit.do/chinesehelpline
Details:

• Background/police check required
• Appropriate for volunteers aged between 18 and 55
• Appropriate for volunteers aged 55 and over
• Training or orientation required

Opportunity Description:

S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Chinese Help Lines provides free, confidential, and non-judgmental emotional and informational support from 10 am to 10 pm, 7 days a week, by professional trained volunteers in Mandarin and Cantonese.

 

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Chinese Help Lines volunteer!

 

Being a Chinese Help Lines volunteer is an incredible experience that will not only change the lives of others, but one that will enrich your own life as well.

 

Our goal is to provide prospective volunteers all the information needed so that they are able to determine if joining our team is the right choice for them.

 

As a starting point, those who get the most out of volunteering with us and who are most helpful to our clients are emotionally mature, stable, calm, empathic and above all else, they are extremely good listeners.

 

Our volunteers are the heart of our organization. They give us and our callers the most precious gift – their time. Please see below and find out more about what being a Chinese Help Lines volunteer is all about.

 

Position Description:

 

Chinese Help Lines volunteers provide emotional support and referral information to distressed callers in Cantonese and Mandarin. Our volunteers are trained in active listening techniques, communication skills and crisis intervention. They help callers assess their own situations, establish goals and priorities, and link callers to pertinent resources in the community, if needed.

 

Responsibilities:

 

• Work with callers, fellow volunteers, and staff in a respectful and professional manner
• Provide emotional and informational support to callers as outlined by Chinese Help Lines policy and procedures
• Consult and debrief with Chinese Help Lines staff regularly
• Participate in ongoing training as required
• Participate in other Chinese Help Lines activities, events, and workshops as desired
• Screen calls for lethality and follow risk assessment and safety planning protocol

 

Volunteer Commitment:

 

• 40 hours of new volunteer training
• 200 hours on Chinese Help Lines (4 hours/week)
• Participate in in-service workshops and trainings

 

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

 

• 19 years of age or older
• Fluent in Mandarin or Cantonese
• Committed and reliable
• Complete a Criminal Record Check
• Non-judgmental
• Ability to listen well
• Willingness to receive and apply constructive feedback
• Willingness to engage in ongoing training for the tenure of your volunteer work with Chinese Help Lines
• Willingness to align to Chinese Help Lines policies and protocols
• Successful completion of Chinese Help Lines new volunteer training

 

Benefits:

 

• Looks good on a resume
• Makes new friends
• Connection to community
• Development of communication and active listening skills to integrate into your life
• Increased knowledge of local resources available in the community
• Eligibility for reference letters upon completion of 200 volunteer hours
• Receive relevant experience for graduate programs in Counselling Psychology, medical school, social work programs, or other helping professions

 

Application:

 

• No specific experience is required to take part in our program. We provide comprehensive training to prepare you for the volunteer role.
• After reading the detailed program and volunteer position information, the applicant completes and submits the online application.
• The application is received and reviewed by Chinese Help Lines staff who will confirm that it has been received.
• A phone interview and an in-person interview will be arranged for qualifying applicants.
• The references provided by the applicant will be contacted after the interview.
• The applicant completes a criminal records check.
• An applicant who has been accepted into the training program is required to pay a training fee of $120 (non-S.U.C.C.E.S.S. member) or $110 (S.U.C.C.E.S.S. member).
• Acceptance into training does not automatically qualify an applicant to volunteer. Applicants must successfully complete all training sessions and the volunteer evaluation process is ongoing.

 

Training:

 

Chinese Help Lines volunteers must complete 40 hours of training before answering calls. Applicants are required to attend all training sessions. Failure to attend training sessions will result in dismissal. Training takes place in Richmond. Training includes lectures, group discussions, role play sessions, and practicums. Training allows our volunteers to:

 

• Provide callers who are in crisis or distress with immediate emotional support, in response to urgent needs
• Work collaboratively with callers
• Communicate genuine concern for each caller
• Be accepting of the feelings the caller may have and supportive of their decisions
• Be encouraging and empowering with callers
• Share knowledge of community resources with callers

 

We hope that becoming a Chinese Help Lines volunteer will be a good fit for you. We invite you to apply to be a part of an exciting and worthwhile experience.

 

Appilication Link: www.bit.do/chinesehelpline