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Volunteer

Volunteers are the lifeline of our service. Our volunteers make a tremendous difference in the lives of those in our community who are lonely, in crisis, or experiencing emotional stress.

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Things to Consider Before Applying

  • Due to the nature of volunteering with a Distress Centre, if you are currently experiencing emotional difficulties or trauma this may not be the best time for you to volunteer in this position. It is important to evaluate your own mental well-being and consider the impact this type of work may have on your mental and emotional state.

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  • We are not a peer-to-peer support agency, which means that we are not able to share our own personal experiences or opinions with clients who use our services.​

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  • We rely on our volunteers to complete the hours they commit to in order to provide full coverage for our programs. Please consider carefully if you have the time to attend all 7 training sessions, and volunteer 12 hours a month for at least 1 year. 

Volunteer Benefits

Our Training and Volunteer experience will:

  1. Improve your active listening and communication skills.

  2. Improve your active listening and communications skills.

  3. Teach you crisis prevention and suicide risk assessment skills.

  4. Increase your knowledge of community resources, social issues, and mental health issues.

  5. Develop and improve skills useful in personal and professional situations.

  6. Provide you with valuable work experience and a compelling reference (letter of reference can be requested upon completion of first year commitment of 144 hours).

  7. Work around your schedule with flexible 2-4 hour shifts offered 24/7, with the option of working in one of our call centres or remotely from your own computer.

Volunteer Responsibilities

Responsibilities Include:

  1. Attending our Training session (1 class each week for 7 weeks, see dates below). There is a $50 fee for training ($25 discounted fee for students currently enrolled with a registered post-secondary institution). 

  2. Obtaining a clear Police Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening.

  3. Providing telephone support to clients in accordance with the policies and guidelines learned in training. 

  4. Volunteering for at least 1 year, completing 12 hours each month in the first year (for a total of 144 hours), and 2 shifts each month in any subsequent years.

  5. Being reliable in fulfilling your shifts commitment (you can choose the shifts that best suit your schedule).

  6. Attending ongoing training and workshops provided by the Centre.

Volunteer Qualifications

Volunteers must be: 

  1. 19 Years of Age or Older

  2. Able to Handle Crisis

  3. Good Listener and Communicator

  4. Empathetic

  5. Non-judgemental

  6. Patient

  7. Respectful

  8. Proficient in English (verbal and written)

  9. Responsible and Reliable

Training Dates

We hold 6-7 training sessions throughout the year, with extra sessions added as needed. Classes are once a week for 7 weeks. We are currently accepting applications for our Spring 2026 training sessions. 

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Upcoming Training Sessions

  • Tuesday, February 10 to Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 7pm-10pm

  • Wednesday, April 8 to Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 7pm-10pm

  • Saturday, May 23 to Saturday, July 4, 2026, 10am-1pm​

Volunteer Information Meetings

Prior to being assigned to a training session, we ask that you attend a Volunteer Information Meeting to learn more about the volunteer role. All Volunteer Information Meetings are held via Zoom. The link will be provided once your application is processed.

 

Upcoming Volunteer Information Meetings 

  • Thursday, February 26, 2026, 7-8pm via Zoom

  • Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 7-8pm via Zoom

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For more information please email applications@dchalton.ca  

Apply to become a volunteer!

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