"Jodie had been sleeping on the streets for three months when she called us. We found her a bed for the night and a housing advice centre for the next day." Steve, Get Connected volunteer Helpline Worker
What it’s like to be a volunteer at Get Connected
Get Connected's helpline is delivered entirely by volunteers. Each Helpline Volunteer commits to one four-hour shift each week at our office in central London, during which they take calls, emails and webchats from young people.
Our volunteers are very important to us and we are committed to ensuring they receive all the training, support and developmental opportunities they need to provide a high quality service to young people and have a satisfying and valuable volunteering experience with us.
The first step in becoming a Helpline Volunteer is to attend an open evening, where you learn about the service we deliver and can ask us any questions you may have. Dates for the open evenings are listed on the Upcoming open evenings page. You don't need any specific experience or qualifications - just come along and see whether you think the work we do at Get Connected is something you would like to support. If you leave the opening evening feeling that you do want to pursue the volunteer opportunities at Get Connected, you will need to complete an application form and attend a Selection Evening.
Selection
This is a group session which enables Get Connected to assess the suitability of those in attendance for the role Helpline Volunteer. It is also a further opportunity for you to establish if you want to volunteer for us. We're looking for people who are good at listening, considerate when speaking, and who can maintain a non-judgemental approach in any given scenario.
Training
If you pass Selection, you'll go forward to the next training programme. This is delivered over two weekends, with a two weeks in between for you to attend listening in shifts. You will need to be able to attend all of the training as each session equips you with different skills and information for your volunteer role on the helpline. The dates of the next training programme are available on the Upcoming open evenings page.
Each training group has about 12 to 15 participants, and you'll have the opportunity to build up relationships with fellow volunteers during the training. As part of the training you will undertake role play calls, webchats and emails to develop your confidence and help you to become more familiar with the role. By the time you 'go live' you will have had sufficient training to feel confident handling a genuine call, email or webchat..
Induction
For the first few weeks after having completed your training, you'll be closely supervised, and after each shift you'll have the chance to review how you felt it went and whether you want more support in any particular area.
Your supervisor will also give you feedback on how they felt you dealt with callers/chatters/mailers. When you and your supervisor feel you're ready, you'll be taken off induction and become a fully-fledged Helpline Volunteer. This is usually after approximately eight shifts, but can be quicker or take a little longer depending on the volunteer.
We'll continue to support you with regular supervision, access to our peer support groups and the ongoing training programme. Get Connected staff will always be around to talk about any difficult calls, emails or webchats you've taken (or anything else which may impact on your volunteering at Get Connected) and you will be welcome to attend any of our volunteer events.
Development
There are lots of opportunities to take your involvement with the helpline further. You can
- Become a Shift-leader, and support other Helpline Volunteers while you're on a shift
- Participate in delivering our training courses, and develop your skills as a training facilitator
- Study for accreditation from the National Open College Network, choosing which modules you'd like to qualify in and receiving support from Get Connected staff to complete them
- Become a member of Get Connected, attending the AGM and voting on constitutional issues
- Become a Helpline Volunteer Trustee and get involved in the strategic direction of the organisation