Become a Volunteer/ Crisis Supporter
WMHA’s volunteers give their time, energy and expertise generously to achieve our mission so that no person has to face their darkest moments alone.’ WMHA is truly grateful for the support of our volunteers, who help us achieve our mission.This information is for our service globally. If you have any questions throughout the application process, email ……………. and someone will get back to you!
What does a Volunteer do?
The service is powered by volunteer Crisis Supporters who work remotely—anywhere with a computer and secure internet connection works.
Crisis Supporters answer texts from people in crisis, bringing them from a hot moment to a cool calm through active listening, collaborative problem solving, and safety planning.
How do I become a Volunteer?
This all begins with training. In 20 hours, you’ll walk away knowing reflective listening, collaborative problem solving, and crisis management.
You can train from anywhere—in your PJs, in a coffee shop, wherever—and our volunteer Crisis Supporters highlight this intervention training on their resumes when interviewing for jobs, applying to grad school, and building out their LinkedIn profile.
Ready to become a Volunteer?
We accept applications on a rolling basis. We begin new training cohorts weekly.
To apply, applicants must be 18 or older. You must also submit 2 references. To volunteer, Crisis Supporters must have access to reliable Internet access and a personal computer.
Crisis Supporter Volunteering FAQ’s
- Do I need to do training to become a WMHA’s online Volunteer/ Crisis Counsellor?
To become a volunteer crisis supporter on WMHA’s Text or online Chat, you do need to do extensive training and make a commitment to shifts and meet further selection criteria. Training is offered online for this service and will ensure you will be confident, skilled, and ready to provide support to people who are experiencing emotional distress and crisis. We are currently at capacity for this volunteer opportunity, however, we will open registrations again, in the near future.
2. Do I need a specific qualification?
No, the training provided to our volunteer crisis supporters will ensure you are qualified to offer a high standard of crisis support that keeps people safe.
3. Do I need the police clearance?
Yes, all-volunteer roles require a National Police History Check and relevant state Working with Children Check.
4. How long do I have to commit for?
We find most people who volunteer with WMHA as a volunteer crisis supporter find it very rewarding, knowing they are contributing to saving lives. We ask our volunteer crisis supporters to commit to a minimum of 4 hours per fortnight.