Share Your Story – Contact Centre Volunteers and Staff

Thank you for your interest in sharing your experience at Distress Centre with us. For general information and an FAQ on Distress Centre’s storytelling initiative, please go here. If you do not volunteer/work in the contact centre, please fill out this form instead for other volunteers and staff.

It will take around 20 minutes to complete the questions, but you are of course welcome to spend as much time on them as you’d like. If you would prefer to share your story by phone or in-person with a member of our storytelling committee, please fill out this form instead and someone will get in touch with you to set up an interview.

Once you’ve completed the questions below, someone will follow up with you within a week to confirm your answers were received and ask for any needed clarification or follow up questions.

Where will my story be shared? – See the answer to that and other common questions in our FAQ found at the bottom of the page.

Online Services Volunteer Application Form 2

Volunteer Application Form

Checklist

Please complete ALL of the following items on this checklist, prior to submitting your application package.

(Required)

Application

Questionaire

Distress Centre's Non-Negotiable Policies

Current Resume

Two Reference Check Forms. Work, volunteer, or academic references only.

Contact Info

Recruitment Coordinator
Distress Centre
Phone: (403) 266 – 1634
Email: volunteer@stagingdc.podmarketinginc.com

Online Services Volunteer Obligations

I agree to arrive 15 minutes before the start of my shift
I agree to meet my commitment of 48 shift credits for one year (an average of 1 shift per week)
I agree to adhere to Distress Centre’s policies and procedures
I understand that my work will be evaluated on an ongoing basis
I agree to be responsible for the shifts that I sign up for and I will make a reasonable effort to find my own replacement if I am unable to make the shift
I understand that more than 3 late arrivals or no-shows for shifts, and training sessions, will be noted and could lead to a review of my status as a volunteer.
I will attend developmental trainings as I am able to
I understand that, in addition to local crisis services, Online Services Volunteers are also required to provide support to Talk Suicide. This involved managing multiple software programs and supporting individuals in crisis across the country.
I understand that if I do not fulfill the aforementioned commitments that my status as a volunteer will be reviewed.

Accept Obligations(Required)

I understand and agree to the above

Part 1 - Application

Name(Required)

First Last

Preferred Name(Required)

Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Address(Required)

Mailing Address City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Mobile Number(Required)

Home Number

Work Number

Email(Required)

Emergency Contact Information

Full Name(Required)

First Last

Phone Number(Required)

Relationship(Required)

In accordance with agency policy, a criminal record check and child welfare record check are conducted on every new volunteer with the consent of the volunteer and at no cost to themselves. Are you willing to provide such consent?(Required)

Yes

Child welfare involvement or a criminal record will not necessarily preclude a staff or volunteer person from their role at Distress Centre. Decisions will be made on an individual basis. All information will be confidential

Have you ever been convicted of an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada, of any other country or state, or under any statute of any Province of Canada, which may have some bearing upon the position for which you are applying?(Required)

Yes

Commitment

Are you willing/able to make a commitment of 4 shifts per month for one year?(Required)

Yes

What is your availibility for completing shifts? (Check all that apply)(Required)

Weekday Mornings

Weekday Afternoons

Weekday Evenings

Weekend Mornings

Weekend Afternoons

Weekend Evenings

Please select your age range:(Required)

18-24

25-34

35-49

50+

If you have a Social Work Diploma or higher, you must submit proof of registration with the ACSW before your application can be processed. For details, see ACSW website.

Registered social workers (RSW) may request module certificates for the ACSW upon completion of training. Certificates are only provided to RSWs to count towards Category A continuing competency credits with ACSW and each module counts for 3 credited hours. You must explain how this activity meets the personal learning goals you have set out for yourself by submitting a Category A Summary Form to the ACSW along with the certificate(s) provided. Upon completion of classroom training, you may count your volunteer hours on the crisis lines towards Category B credits. Non-RSW volunteers do not receive certificates for classroom training.

Selection is without discrimination and is conditional upon suitability of volunteers.

All information on this form will be kept confidential, unless harm to self or others is disclosed Information collected will only be used for the purposes of volunteer management. No personal info is shared outside of Distress Centre.

Completed Child Welfare checks (documentation completed during the group interview) are mailed directly to the volunteer applicant. A volunteer will not be permitted to begin their solo work on the Crisis Lines until the Distress Centre receives a copy of the completed Child Welfare Check that has been mailed to the volunteer applicant’s home address. Not providing this document will delay the start date of their commitment.

Part II - Questionaire

Please answer the following questions as fully as possible utilizing full sentences. There is a 500 character limit per question.

How did you hear about Distress Centre Calgary?(Required)

Please specify:

Please tell us why you are interested in volunteering at Distress Centre:(Required)

What are some of your personal goals with volunteering at Distress Centre?(Required)

What skills or personal qualities do you possess that you believe are applicable to crisis intervention?(Required)

Please explain how you would best support this service user: There is a student in University. The student is not having thoughts of suicide. The student is stressed about failing an exam, it’s in 4 hours and they think they are going to fail. The student put so much time and money into school and it’s so stressful. They feel that they are a failure if they don’t do well. The student’s parents are supportive but they prefer not to talk to them because they’ll be disappointed. The student has an older sibling who went to the same school and they have a good relationship with them.(Required)

How do you see the training commitment fitting into the other commitments and responsibilities in your life?(Required)

How do you see the commitment (one year at an average of five hours per week) fitting into the other commitments and responsibilities in your life?(Required)

What does a crisis mean to you? How does Distress Centre Calgary define a crisis?(Required)

Who do you think contacts a crisis service?(Required)

Describe a specific time when you had to set aside your own opinion to see something from someone else’s perspective (e.g. core values like religion, morals, politics, etc.):(Required)

Please describe a time that someone had asked for more than you were able to give (e.g. financial support, time, material lending, etc.) and how did you handle that situation?(Required)

Please identify any individuals, calls, or situations that you would be a challenge for you if encountered on the crisis lines and why?(Required)

Describe a time you made a commitment to something (i.e. volunteer experience, school project, extracurricular activities, religious activities, etc). How did you incorporate the commitment into your schedule? Were you able to fulfill the commitment?(Required)

Please give an example of a time that you were required to follow a policy, procedure, or rule that you disagreed with or did not understand. How did you handle that situation?(Required)

Training is facilitated through a combination of independent modules and weekly virtual training sessions through Microsoft Teams.
Training shifts are completed remotely so responders do not have to come on-site. Responders do not have to be from the Calgary area.

What is your preferred month to begin training?(Required)

Do you have any substantial barriers to your availability within the next 6 months?(Required)

Distress Centre Non-Negotiable Policies

Distress Centre is a critical service in the social infrastructure of the city. As volunteers, you are the first point of contact for someone seeking help when they cannot cope on their own anymore. Due to the scope and the nature of the role, volunteers must maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct in their interactions with the community.

Below are Distress Centre’s 3 non-negotiable policies. Breaking any one of these is grounds for immediate dismissal without discussion. Please click on the box to indicate that you have read, understood, and are able to abide by the policy.

(Required)

Confidentiality: The details of a caller that staff and volunteers are exposed to in the Centre can only remain there. You may tell your supports about the types of situations you may encounter, but never any specifics that jeopardizes the identity of the callers.

Life or Limb: While providing volunteer services to Distress Centre, if a volunteer becomes aware of a person who is at risk of physical harm to themselves or another person, the volunteer must immediately notify a Distress Centre staff member and take appropriate measures to help that person.

Non-Socialization: The development of any relationship or contact with callers outside of the agency by staff or volunteers is strictly prohibited. This includes sharing personally identifying information about themselves. They can share their first name, or a pseudonym if they are more comfortable with that. Volunteers also will not share where they live, work, go to school, and when their shift ends and the next one starts.

Part III - Current Resume

Upload resume(Required)

Max. file size: 1 GB.

Upload your CV/resume or other relevant file here. Max. upload: 8MB

Part IV - Letters of Reference

Please copy the below link and send it to two references to complete. Work, Volunteer or Academic References only (no personal references such as family, friends, etc.) Applications are only considered complete upon reception of 2 references.

Volunteer Reference Link

Hidden

Please upload the First Letter of Reference

Max. file size: 1 GB.

Hidden

Please upload the Second Letter of Reference

Max. file size: 1 GB.

Do you grant permission to Distress Centre to contact the references that were submitted with your application for additional information if necessary?(Required)

Yes

Please sign and date to confirm information; as well as, give Distress Centre permission to conduct routine screening processes (includes contacting references, submitting police and child welfare checks, etc.):(Required)

Date(Required)

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

24 hour Crisis Line | Text or Phone: 403-266-4357 (HELP)

Share Your Story – Contact Centre Volunteers and Staff

Online Services Volunteer Application Form 2

Checklist

Contact Info

Online Services Volunteer Obligations

Part 1 - Application

Emergency Contact Information

Commitment

Part II - Questionaire

Distress Centre Non-Negotiable Policies

Part III - Current Resume

Part IV - Letters of Reference

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