Volunteer for the Hope Line

PHILOSOPHY

HER Hope Line volunteers are trained listeners, not professional counselors. These listeners create an atmosphere of acceptance and trust, whereby the caller feels free to express all feelings and thoughts and to establish a rapport between themselves and the listener. HER Hope Line volunteers are required to put personal biases aside in dealing with callers and, therefore, do not offer advice but instead strive to help callers identify satisfactory solutions for themselves. Callers are free to discuss openly with volunteers whatever may be troubling them. HER Hope Line volunteers are trained to identify physical and emotional emergencies over the telephone and to contact professionals when necessary.

ACTIVE LISTENING

Caring, non-judgmental listening (also known as ‘active listening’) is a counseling technique used in a variety of situations. It was adopted as the HER Hope Line’s approach because it is effective in circumstances in which the participants are not in a face-to-face setting and in which the interaction is brief. Active listening is not, in itself, therapy, and HER Hope Line does not provide psychological counseling over the phone (callers are given resources when needed).

The goal of active listening is that the caller will find within themselves the steps toward resolving his or her crisis. This happens when the volunteer listens very carefully, reflects key elements of the emotional content, stays with the emotional flow of the interaction, and keeps the focus on the caller and his/her concerns. The caller and volunteer can begin to explore options and alternatives.

ANONYMITY

All calls to the HER Hope Line are confidential unless we believe the caller is in danger of harming themselves or someone else. Callers may choose not to give names but are asked to give their first name if willing. Volunteers sign a confidentiality statement during their initial training.

Contact Us to Volunteer

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Crisis Support

  • If this is an emergency, please dial 911.

  • For Suicide prevention please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, for free confidential, 24/7 help. Or you can reach the Crisis Text Line 24/7 by texting “START” to 741-741.

  • Head here for a list of crisis centers around the world.

Report Trafficking

National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888

www.HumanTraffickingHotline.org (you may submit tip online)

Polaris Project Text “BeFree” (233733)