To return to Convening's homepage, click here.
To return to Convening XXIX's Table of Contents, click here.
Texas A&M Student Counseling Service Staff and Volunteers,
Student Counseling HelpLine,
Student Counseling Service,
Texas A&M University, 1263-TAMU,
College Station, TX 77843-1263
Over the past ten years the Student Counseling HelpLine has trained hundreds of volunteers to answer calls with a
variety of issues in the Brazos Valley. Although technically a part of Texas A&M University, the diversity of calls is
increased further by the greater community's use of the HelpLine. As the only multipurpose hotline in the Brazos Valley,
HelpLine volunteers must be adequately prepared to handle virtually any issue a caller may present.
This presentation will be given by current HelpLine volunteers and will include an in-depth discussion of training
preparation, selection process, schedule, development of active listening skills, recruitment of presenters, topics,
feedback and evaluation, and the use of successful role play training.
Following initial interviews, selected applicants are invited to attend a one week "crash course" intended to prepare
volunteers for the myriad of calls they will be faced with on the HelpLine. The training week typically takes place the
week before the start of the academic semester and consists of six eight-hour days. During this time intensive week,
presenters are recruited from both local agencies and area professionals to teach potential volunteers about topics that
range from relationship issues to death, loss, grief and dying. The week begins with two sessions devoted exclusively to
the development of active listening skills which the volunteers are expected to expand upon throughout training. Each
year the exact schedule of training is modified to reflect recent trends in caller issues and the evolving field of crisis intervention.
The highlight of each day is the opportunity for each volunteer to participate in several hours of intense role play
training. During this time, volunteers enact calls through the roles of workers, callers, and observers in small groups in
order to apply their skills in a realistic and practical setting. Feedback on their performances is given daily by the
rotating observers as well as midweek in order to help volunteers improve upon areas of weakness.
Although the HelpLine recognizes and appreciates that no amount of training can fully prepare a volunteer for every
situation, the initial training seeks to familiarize trainees with the most fundamental issues facing clients. In order to
assist volunteers with novel situations, the training week also includes instructing volunteers on the use of support
resources. These include the presence and assistance of a partner, resource materials in the HelpLine itself, and
consultations with an on-call psychologist when necessary. Additionally, volunteers are versed in the procedures,
policies, and guidelines of the HelpLine that guide unusual calls in a standardized format.
The goal of training is to create confident, knowledgeable volunteers who are capable of handling the variety of calls
that are taken on a multi-purpose hotline.
Participants will receive example training materials, including an application, training schedule, role play scenarios, evaluation forms, and other relevant materials that may be of use in creating or modifying volunteer programs in a crisis intervention setting.
To return to Convening's homepage, click here.
To return to Convening XXIX's Table of Contents, click here.