50808 Crisis Volunteers

Text 50808 is recruiting volunteers - volunteer from home, any day, any time to support people in crisis.

Crisis Volunteers support our texters to our 24/7 free crisis text line, via their laptops from the comfort of their homes. 50808 is a text-based non-judgemental listening service. Texters reach out from all around Ireland, about everything from being at the height of a panic attack, being bullied at school, having relationship issues, and experiencing suicidal thoughts. Our volunteers provide a safe space for texters to express and explore how they are feeling and support them to reach a point of calm. Min Hours: Training 30 hours over 6 weeks, then a 2-4 hour commitment per week as a volunteer.

During the training you will:

  • Learn key skills such as; active listening, how to risk assess for suicide, and crisis management and how to utilise these skills in a text based service.
  • Access certified training such as the Children’s First certificate and the HSE Land LGBTQIA+ Awarness and Inclusion training. You will also receive specific training that has been developed in conjunction with Pavee Point, on how to support members of the Traveller community.

As a volunteer you will:

  • Support texters through moments of crisis by responding to text messages via a secure platform on your laptop in a non-judgmental way.
  • Become part of a volunteer community with 300 volunteers
  • Have opportunities to continue to develop your skills and further learning.

Crisis Volunteers master the skills to show empathy through text, create a solid self-care routine and join a community of volunteers from across the country. The communication approaches explored in the training programme and used with texters are transferable to other situations while the peer-to-peer learning and support between volunteers and supervisors means Crisis Volunteers, just like the texters, are never alone.

The ask:

We ask that our volunteers commit to volunteering for 200 hours with us. This can be achieved through a 2 x 2 hour shift each week for 1 year, or 1 x 2 hour shift per week for two years. Though of course, we hope you stay longer.

Volunteers can choose the times and days that they take their shifts, any time day or night, weekday or weekend. We are currently looking for volunteers for all shifts.
Volunteer Training & Induction

Our volunteers complete a 30 hour, online, self-paced training course over the space of 6 weeks.

Link to volunteer:

Note:

  • All training is provided. Volunteers do not have to have a background in mental health or crisis support. Our volunteers come from a huge variety of backgrounds. Required: Availability to meet the time commitment. Kindness and compassion for others. Open-mindedness and a willingness to practice being non-judgemental.
  • Volunteering takes place from home. This is an entirely remote role. Volunteers need to have access to a secure and stable internet connection, as well as a PC or laptop to work from.
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Region: Nationwide