Volunteers
We cannot help students without students. Although Peer Help has a healthy staff to oversee our services and operations, the Centre could not remain open without our volunteers. Our volunteers’ willingness and dedication to helping others is in itself the ultimate example of peer help.
We have three different volunteer roles at the Peer Help Centre:
- Peer Helpers (office volunteers)
- Peer Mentors (school-based mentors for Mentoring For Youth program)
- Peer Listeners (Peer Support Phone Line volunteers)
Qualifications (for all volunteers)
- Registered as a University of Ottawa student
- Excellent verbal communication skills in at least one of the official languages
- Willingness to help others
- Interest in the well-being of University of Ottawa students
- Reliable in attending all training sessions and all shifts
- Ability to be empathetic and non-judgmental
- Understanding of confidentiality and anonymity of active listening sessions
Responsibilities (for all volunteers)
- Volunteers are required to uphold and follow the Peer Help Centre’s mandate and rules at all times when they are on duty or representing the Centre.
- Volunteers are required to attend all training sessions and be knowledgeable of training content at all times. Resources will be available in the Centre if the volunteer wishes to read more about active listening and crisis intervention
- Volunteers are required to attend all Peer Help Centre modules and be knowledgeable of relevant services on- and off-campus.
- Volunteers are responsible for showing up on time for their shifts.
- Volunteers are expected to give sufficient notice if he/she is unable to make a shift, and to find a replacement.
- On shift, volunteers are required to give full priority to a student who seeks help from the Centre. They will offer support and guidance to students and act as a resource for information.
- After an active listening session, volunteers must be debriefed by a staff member and must record a log in the Active Listening Journal.
- Volunteers are required to keep all communications anonymous and confidential, except in certain cases where the life of the student or of a third party is threatened.
- Volunteers are forbidden from disclosing to a student any personal information about themselves or about another volunteer/staff member.
- Volunteers are required to make a Stats Login entry after each communication with a student.
- Volunteers must show respect to all other volunteers, staff members, and students who use the Peer Help Centre’s services.
