Call: 330-747-2696 or 1-800-427-3606

Volunteer Training is mandated for all volunteer positions available in the agency. The basic training for volunteers who are interested in working on the Hotline phones consists of 36 classroom hours followed by 32 hours (4 hour weekly shifts) of on-line training under supervision. Following the 68 training hours, a new volunteer is evaluated on their knowledge, skills, and job performance on the Hotline phones. Volunteers are expected to work a minimum of four hours and a maximum of eight hours weekly for a commitment of one year following the training. Volunteer training sessions are held three or four times each year depending on the need to increase the volunteer pool.

On-going training continues for volunteers through eight in-service workshops held annually on various topics. Video tapes and cassette tapes are included in the volunteer library for self-study and remedial training. The average length of time worked by a volunteer is about 18-20 months. Some Volunteers have been with the Help Hotline over 15 years, and a small number leave before their one year commitment.

All volunteers are interviewed and, if necessary, screened prior to the classroom training. Volunteers have job descriptions and follow established guidelines and policies. Well trained, paraprofessional volunteers are an indispensable component for any 24 hours crisis Hotline.

The relatively short period of time each volunteer works during the week provides the community with a fresh, eager, and caring person qualified to respond to the many diverse and, at times, intense situations that occur daily on a crisis Hotline.

Paid professional staff are on-site to supervise and assist volunteers on duty. The Hotline telephone system consists of eight phone lines that operate twenty-four hours a day, and twelve additional phone lines are activated after-hours for the agencies in the emergency after-hours network.