Volunteer Opportunity for College, Masters, & PHD Students: Remote Peer Counselor with Empower Work

Gain Real Peer Counseling Experience. Support Workers in Crisis. Build Skills for Your Future Career.

If you’re a student pursuing a career in counseling, coaching, social work, psychology, or human services, Empower Work offers a powerful way to gain hands-on experience—while making a real impact in people’s lives.

Every day, workers across the U.S. reach out to Empower Work when they’re facing difficult work situations: sudden job loss, discrimination, burnout, harassment, or uncertainty about what to do next. As a Volunteer Peer Counselor, you’ll provide immediate, confidential support through text or chat, helping people feel heard, empowered, and able to take their next step forward.

You’ll receive a comprehensive 18-hour training over five weeks, designed to help you practice foundational helping skills in real time. Students often tell us the experience directly strengthens their academic learning, fieldwork readiness, and future career opportunities.

Why This Work Matters

Empower Work is a national nonprofit ensuring that everyone—regardless of their job or industry—feels supported at work. In 2025, we reached nearly half a million workers. More than 94% report feeling better after one conversation.

As a Peer Counselor, you’ll develop clinical-style skills while contributing to meaningful, immediate impact.

Hear From a Volunteer

“I’ve learned that people often just need someone to truly listen as they process their experience. Volunteering at Empower Work helped me put empathy into action and better identify when to validate, acknowledge, and champion others.”

— Ebele, Volunteer Peer Counselor

What You’ll Do as a Volunteer Peer Counselor

Peer Counselors offer real-time, non-judgmental support to people navigating workplace challenges. The role strengthens many of the same core competencies you’ll use in counseling, social work, coaching, and therapeutic careers.

After training, you’ll:

• Provide text-based support that mirrors real-world helping conversations
• Practice reflective listening, emotional attunement, and empowerment-based coaching
• Choose flexible 2-hour remote shifts, Monday–Friday, 7AM–7PM PT
• Receive live supervisor support during each shift
• Use Empower Work’s AI-powered tools for real-time guidance and feedback
• Earn a LinkedIn-certified Peer Counselor Badge after 50 hours of service

Many students use Empower Work to build hours, strengthen résumés, and demonstrate readiness for internships, graduate programs, and client-facing roles.

What You’ll Learn (5-Week Online Training)

Our structured training program is grounded in counseling, coaching, and social work best practices. You’ll build skills in:

• Empathy and emotional attunement
• Active and deep listening
• Reflective and open-ended questioning
• Values-based, client-centered communication
• Managing crisis moments with grounding and clarity

Students often describe the experience as transformative—bringing classroom theory to life.

Why Students Love This Role

• Build practical experience you can highlight in applications, interviews, and supervision
• Strengthen core counseling skills used in social work, therapy, coaching, HR, and leadership
• Receive real-time support from trained supervisors
• Gain exposure to diverse client experiences and workplace challenges
• Enjoy flexibility that fits with academic schedules and commitments
• Join a national community of supportive, mission-driven volunteers

What Help Seekers Say

"I came here unsure of what to do next. Within minutes, I felt calmer and more confident. Your help made all the difference."

“Within an hour, I received the best support I’ve had in my entire life. I’ll never forget that feeling of someone helping me rebuild my sandcastle after every wave had knocked it down.”

“This situation was so difficult for me—I honestly don’t know what I would have done without your counselors. They helped me find clarity when everything felt overwhelming.”

Upcoming 5-Week Training Cohorts

Cohort 23: Apply by 01/11 | Training 01/26–02/27

Cohort 24: Apply by 03/08 | Training 03/16–04/17

Cohort 25: Apply by 05/03 | Training 05/11–06/12

Cohort 26: Apply by 07/05 | Training 07/13–08/14

Cohort 28: Apply by 09/13 | Training 09/21–10/23

Cohort 29: Apply by 10/25 | Training 11/02–12/11

Ready to Build Your Skills and Make an Impact?

Apply in just 10 minutes and join an upcoming cohort:

👉 empowerwork.org/volunteer

Want to Learn More?

📺 Watch our video: Empower Work: The New Workplace Confidante

https://www.youtube.com/embed/LAD5gJzneZ8

📘 Explore our 2024 Impact Report:

https://www.empowerwork.org/impact2024

Questions? We’d love to connect: volunteer@empowerwork.org