Major Objectives Of The TEEN TOUCH Helpline
- Provide a confidential, non-judgmental, anonymous telephone and Internet Helpline service staffed by trained volunteers.
- Focus on prevention and positive outcomes for callers through timely, effective and early intervention.
- Promote self-reliance and maturity through use of a problem-solving model.
- Refer callers, when appropriate, to community resources.
Skills and Qualifications
- Previous experience working with youth, and/or related academic training an asset.
- 18 years of age or older.
- Positive, confident, non-judgmental attitude and approach towards others.
- Punctual, dependable, motivated and responsible.
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and listening skills.
- Stable personality, able to take direction, openness to ongoing feedback/review of call sheets
Duties and Responsibilities
- Attend a mandatory 30+hour training programme
- Complete a minimum of 4 shifts per month, including one overnight shift.
- Complete your first 12 calls from the TEEN TOUCH office (for support and feedback).
- Schedule one overnight shift (midnight to 7:00 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. to noon) every month (mandatory).
- Volunteers must attend two in-service meetings per year, which are additional workshops on topics not covered by basic training but which supplement the volunteer’s information base on issues concerning our callers.
- Pass an open-book test at the completion of the training program
Accountability
- Volunteer is responsible to the Coordinator of Training & Volunteer Services
- Performance will be reviewed after three months.
- At six-month stage an in-person check-in interview will be held, then annually.
- As a quality control measure and as a way to evaluate volunteer performance, staged calls will be conducted. Results will be shared with volunteers in a constructive manner.
- Volunteers are responsible for scheduling their own shifts and either finding a replacement or notifying office.
- Not respecting confidentiality of callers, developing personal relationship with callers, or the use of drugs/alcohol while staffing the Helpline will result in termination.
- Not following through (i.e., missing scheduled shifts, not finding replacements when a shift cannot be completed, not informing the Supervisor of such circumstances) is a serious breach of policies and may be grounds for dismissal.
