Samaritans of RI seek volunteers for crisis hotline

Posted 4/10/14

Volunteers are needed for The Samaritans of RI Suicide Prevention Hotline/Listening Line.

Volunteers provide hope and help to callers who are hopeless, alone, suicidal, or just need a kind person …

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Samaritans of RI seek volunteers for crisis hotline

Posted

Volunteers are needed for The Samaritans of RI Suicide Prevention Hotline/Listening Line.

Volunteers provide hope and help to callers who are hopeless, alone, suicidal, or just need a kind person to listen. In 2013, the agency received more than 4,700 calls and more than 50,000 visitors to its website.  

Established in 1977, The Samaritans serves as a suicide prevention resource for Rhode Islanders and the “agency of choice” for individuals, families and other community stakeholders who seek information relating to suicide prevention, support, education and information. The Samaritans of Rhode Island works to fulfill this mission by caring and “befriending” – a self-help, volunteer, people-to-people, communications-based program that emphasizes listening to people in crisis without expressing personal judgments or opinions.

All volunteers must be 18 years or older and out of high school, participate in 21 to 25 hours of mandatory classroom training, agree to a criminal background and professional reference check, community service agreement forms and a minimum commitment of 200 hours of service.

Volunteers are mentored by staff and senior volunteers. Retirees, college and university undergraduate, graduate and medical students and interns, retirees and Spanish speaking volunteers are encouraged to apply.

The public is invited to learn more at introductory sessions to be offered on Saturday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to noon or from noon to 1 p.m.

In addition to the introductory session, potential volunteers must participate in mandatory training classes to be held each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 19, April 26, May 3, May 10 and May 17.

All classes meet at The Samaritans Forget-Me-Not Gallery, 67 Park Place, Pawtucket.

For a complete list of spring training dates and program information, visit www.samaritansri.org or call The Samaritans business line at 721-5220.

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