Caring Contact, A listening community

Looking for a meaningful way to make a difference?  

Have you ever been told you are a good listener? 

Caring Contact, a crisis hotline based in Westfield, NJ, is offering its 103rd volunteer crisis counselor training from February 27th through April 30th. The training will take place once a week on Tuesdays from 6:30pm to 9:30pm and will be a combination of in-person training and virtual sessions. 

Participants receive 46 hours of comprehensive training by nationally certified instructors in active listening and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training. Volunteers develop the ability to listen actively, assess the needs of someone in crisis and provide empathy and support.  

"This training and volunteer opportunity is ideal for people of varying backgrounds, including retirees, empty-nesters, stay-at-home parents, and full-time professionals. Volunteers find it gives them a sense of reward when they help someone in crisis." said Mary Claire Givelber, Caring Contact's executive director. Volunteers find the flexible volunteer hours work well with their other obligations. 

Following the training, new volunteer crisis counselors will be supported by seasoned listeners during 24-hour internship before they take calls on their own. Caring Contact provides ongoing support and training opportunities to allow volunteers to hone their skills. This volunteer opportunity can even be performed remotely after a successful training period.  

Anyone interested in registering for the training should visit http://caringcontact.org/volunteer-listener-application/.  

Caring Contact is an award-winning, volunteer-staffed crisis hotline and listening community that answered over 17,000 calls last year from people in crisis, having suicidal thoughts, or simply needing someone to talk to. 

If you need someone to listen, call us at 908-232-2880. If you, or someone you know, are in crisis, call 988, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  

To learn more, call 908.301.1899 or visit www.caringcontact.org   

You are Not Alone.