Next Training from 24 Feb 2009
Call or email Elsa on 9498 8805 for information and course fees

The Telephone Counselling Training Course

Telephone counsellor training runs twice a year, and covers a variety of communication and counselling skills, with both theoretical and experiential components.

The 18 week training course is given in 2 modules, to allow a shorter course for those who want to learn counselling without volunteering afterwards.

• Module 1 is run over 10 sessions, and covers theoretical and practical training in communication and counselling skills.
• Module 2 runs for a further 8 sessions and contains additional theoretical and practical training of a Lifeline specific nature. At the end of this module, successful trainee volunteers will commence telephone counselling.

The counselling course is run on Tuesday nights from 7pm - 10pm. There is a Saturday and a Sunday workshop in Module 1, and again in Module 2 for the Applied Suicide Interention Skills Training (ASIST) workshop.

Trainee counsellor eligibility criteria

• a desire to learn
• an ability to display empathy
• a willingness to respond in an accepting and non-judgmental manner
• a willingness to adhere to Lifeline's Code of Ethics
• minimum age of 21 years

Once on the phones, volunteers support callers with a wide variety of issues, including:

 • Loneliness
 • Relationships
 • Domestic violence
 • Abuse
 • Gambling
 • Drugs and alcohol
 • Mental health
 • Suicide

Find out more

Lifeline Harbour-to-Hawkesbury has around 160 active volunteer telephone counsellors who answer the 13 11 14 Crisis Counselling line, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Our Centre answers more than 22,000 calls each year and with your help we could answer even more.

If you care about people, want to help & are willing to listen - email or phone Elsa on 9498 8805 for more information.