Potential Volunteer Characteristics and Prerequisites

Alachua County Crisis Center

Potential Volunteer Characteristics and Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites a volunteer candidate must possess prior to beginning the Phone Volunteer Training. Most skills that a Phone Counselor needs to provide excellent crisis intervention are taught, discussed, and practiced during training.

Prior to training, a volunteer candidate must fall within the following guidelines:

  • Minimum age 20 preferred
  • Within six months prior to beginning the training process, it is preferred that trainee have not made a suicide attempt, had a major crisis in their life or been a client of the Crisis Center
  • Have a genuine desire and willingness to help people who are in need
  • Does not require a high school diploma, college degrees, or special certification
  • Be located in Alachua County, or north-central Florida

Regardless of education and experience, a person seeking crisis intervention training should have the following characteristics:

  • A desire to help people and the potential to empathically understand others
  • A desire to engage with callers who may be in extreme emotional distress
  • The ability to think logically and to demonstrate mature judgment
  • The ability to cooperate with co-workers and work as part of the Crisis Center team
  • A willingness to spend the time required for pre-service training, in-service training, and providing crisis intervention once trained
  • An ability to be discrete and an absence of the need to proselytize while functioning as a crisis worker
  • An appreciation for the complexity of human dilemmas and avoidance of pat, simplistic solutions
  • An ability to accept supervision and support
  • A stable personality with a balance of optimism and realism

Contact


Numbers Available 24/7

Crisis Line
352-264-6789

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
988

Nacional de Prevencion del Suicidio
1-888-628-9454

311 Critical Information
352-264-6557

Staff Contact Information

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