Volunteer
Volunteers are vital to our organization! We value the experience, skills, and passion our volunteers bring. We have many opportunities that fit a variety of skill-sets, schedules, and interests.
Our greatest need for volunteers is support for our 24/7 crisis, suicide prevention, and resource helplines.
Crisis Line Volunteer/Crisis Counselor
The goal of the Crisis Line Volunteer is to use active listening skills to bring about a positive change in the emotional state of the caller from the time initial contact is made to the time the call is concluded. Callers seeking information or referral will experience increased awareness of the resources that are available in the community as a result of calling the Help Center hotline. We ask that volunteers make a 9-month commitment to us. During that commitment, volunteers are expected to come in for one 4-hour shift per week (with exceptions for emergencies, illness, vacations, etc.). IMPORTANT: To be a crisis line volunteer, you must be able to come into our location in Bozeman, MT for your training and shifts. Must be 18 or older. Once you apply, we will respond within 3-5 business days with an invitation to interview, where you will learn more about the position and determine if it is a good fit.
If you have further questions, please email us or call 406-587-7511
Training for Volunteer Crisis Counselors
We generally hold training twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. You can apply at any time, however!
Training includes 52 hours on topics such as active listening, suicide intervention, mental health, crisis, resource referrals, and more! This also includes shadowing and on-shift training. All volunteers who answer the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline must also take the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), which is offered by our training staff. Volunteers are always on shift with a staff member and provided with support.
ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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This is a service whereby we make daily telephone calls to home-bound individuals who are typically elderly. For some, we are their only contact with the outside world and it gives us great joy to provide this for them and is also a way to prevent crises through this consistent connection. Once you are successfully trained, there is even an option to do this from home! Must be available from 8am-11am one day a week.
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The Help Center maintains a community resource database for 13 counties in southwest Montana for Montana 211. Volunteers help us regularly keep this information up to date in order to best serve our community members in need of services. Minimum time commitment is 2 hours a week. Once trained, there is an option to do this from home!
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Our Board of Directors oversee all of the Help Center programs in addition to Sacks Thrift. To inquire if we have any board member openings, please contact us.
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Run for Your Life is our largest fundraiser, held the Saturday before Halloween and is a 5k Run/Walk, and Kid's Run to benefit the Help Center's work for suicide prevention and intervention. This is a fun race, to help a very deep purpose. We are always looking for committee members to help us plan this great community event as well as volunteers to help during packet pick-up and on race day. Email our Race Director if you are interested.
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Sacks Volunteers are crucial to our success in supporting Help Center, Inc. programs, providing vital human services to our community. Volunteers bring a variety of skills to help us make the store look great, make sure quality items arrive on the floor, and more!
I’m deeply inspired, moved and touched by the people I talk to on the phone. Their courage and resilience and honesty and even their pain has helped me connect with myself and the world around me in a much deeper way than I ever have before. It’s such a huge honor to have people share their stories with me, and for me to be able to help them as I can. The Help Center has a profound impact on the world, and it has had a profound impact on me.
-Dan
Volunteer Crisis Counselor