Training to be held for crisis volunteers

Add a tenuous economy and a rough winter to our already stress-filled lives, and it might just be too much to bear.

That's where the Crisis Line of the Fox Valley comes in.

"Overall, we're getting more stressed-out people on our crisis lines," said Cheryl Brown, who manages the Association for Individual Development program.

"I think it's a difficult time for people."

And so, with more calls streaming in to the already busy hotline, Brown and program leaders are looking for additional volunteers to help ease the pressure.

A nine-week training session begins March 6. Volunteers will be taught to counsel callers who may be suffering from depression, anxiety, substance abuse or who have other concerns or questions.

The hotline is a source of support for many with mental health issues as well as those who may have fallen on difficult times and just need to talk, Brown said.

In addition to taking incoming calls, Crisis Line workers also make calls through the program's community outreach arm to regularly check on clients, provide medication reminders and just to offer some social interaction.

The Crisis Line also serves as a link to emergency services and community resources and provides 24-hour help for victims of violent crime.

Volunteers must commit to working one, 4-hour shift on the phones each week for a year after completing training, Brown said. She recommends volunteers be at least 16 years old.

Other than that, you just need to possess some empathy for others and a willingness to help.

Brown said Crisis Line volunteers often are students pursuing a career in the social services arena. A stint on the phone lines can serve as a good way to get experience and build a resume, she added.

Training sessions include classroom instruction as well as observing and listening in on calls. Once on the job, volunteers regularly work in pairs or groups to provide the most assistance to callers, Brown said.

"We get people on the line as soon as they're ready to be on the line," she said.

Crisis Line volunteers field calls from throughout the Chicago area and across the nation.

Training classes will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays beginning March 6 at the Association for Individual Development's Behavioral Health center, 1230 N. Highland in Aurora.

Formal training classes are held twice a year, but Brown said she also does individual training for volunteers.

"It's really a good source of support for people," she said.

For details or to register for the nine-week class, call Brown at (630) 966-4304.

AID is a nonprofit, community-based organization that serves more than 3,800 individuals in Kane, Kendall, and DeKalb counties; Hanover Township in Cook County; and throughout the entire city of Aurora.