Volunteering: Salvo Care Line
For more information on The Salvation Army's Salvo Care Line telephone counselling service, click here.
Without volunteer counsellors, this essential service simply could not exist.
Anyone wishing to volunteer as a counsellor must first complete the volunteer training program.
NSW & ACT
Introduction to Telephone Counselling courses are held in Sydney twice each year. The next course will take place on the 16th of February 2010 in Five Dock, Sydney. There is a cost involved in undertaking the course and candidates must meet acceptance criteria. All trainees must be over 21 years of age and have a Christian commitment.
The course can be studied to Certificate IV level, or to Volunteer Certificate level (which involves little written work).
The course content covers such areas as counselling skills, mental health, addictions, grief and loss, and suicide prevention.
Training involves an initial intensive period of up to 130 hours. Volunteers who have passed ongoing selection criteria practice their skills initially under the guidance of experienced counsellors.
Debriefing and counselling support is given to all volunteers.
For more information call (02) 8736 3297 or email sydney.salvo.care.line.2@aue.salvationarmy.org
Queensland
Certificate III in Telephone Counselling courses are held in Brisbane twice each year. There is a cost involved in undertaking the course and an acceptance criteria.
The 60 hour course covers topics such as self-awareness, process models, empathy, active listening skills, facilitating action skills and ethics and the law.
Those deemed suitable to advance in training and willing to commit to twelve months as a volunteer telephone counsellor have the opportunity to receive in-depth one-to-one supervision, work with clients presenting with a wide range of issues, and attend advanced training on topical issues (including alcoholism, loss and grief, substance abuse, mental illness, suicide, crisis intervention, challenging callers, human development, and anger).
Salvo Care Line Brisbane is in a unique position in that it diverts the counselling calls through its call centre to the counsellors' own homes. Over the four-hour shift the counsellor has phone support from a supervisor.
For more information, call (07) 3222 6678.