Become a Certified Listener
Do you want to give back to your community in a meaningful and enriching way? Here is your opportunity! Volunteers are a vital part of Certified Listeners Society; every year, our volunteers will contribute more than 150,000 hours to our 24-hour online emotional support chats, providing help and immediate access to people who need emotional support.
Under the supervision of professional staff, all volunteers are carefully screened before selection and fully trained before taking emotional support chats. Throughout their volunteering experience, volunteers receive ongoing professional support and in-service education sessions. Experienced volunteers gain many life and communication skills that translate into other aspects of their daily lives.
What would you be doing?
You will be an online chat responder providing emotional support on our online chat platform.
- Providing immediate and confidential support (chat, etc.) using agency procedures and policies
- Providing information and referrals when appropriate
- Understanding what to do if you are concerned about a person’s safety
- Work with callers/chatters, volunteers, and staff in a respectful and professional manner
- Letting callers know you’re listening and someone cares
- Letting the person know there is someone here to provide individual support
What would you not be doing?
- Certified Listeners are not therapists or hold themselves out to be
- Telling people what to do or how they should live their lives
- You are not providing crisis intervention
- You are not a providing addiction counselling
What qualities are we looking for?
- Keyboarding skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to build a relationship and convey empathy and emotion through an online platform
- Capacity to remain calm and effective in challenging situations
- Non-judgmental and accepting of diverse values and beliefs
- Reliability and punctuality
- Ability to work independently
- Good self-awareness and common sense
- Emotional resilience, stability and maturity
- Proficiency in the English language – both written and spoken
- Open to feedback and continuous development
- Access to a computer with reliable internet connectivity
- Access to a private space at home for the duration of your volunteering shift
- Adherence to Certified Listeners Society policies, procedures and online chat guidelines
- Ability to support Certified Listeners Society’s philosophy of empowering individuals
Our responsibility to you
We at the Certified Listeners Society provide training, protocols, policies, support, and supervision to help volunteers fulfill their roles at every stage of the way. You will never be alone. We supervise all chats and activities. We are beside you 24 hours a day seven days a week.
What we ask for you in return
Also, we ask you to work one 4-hour shift per week until you have provided 50 hours of volunteer time after successfully completing training. There is flexibility in scheduling, and you will be able to choose weekly shifts that best suit you from four designated times:
- 8am to 12pm
- 12pm to 4pm
- 4pm to 8pm
- 8pm to 12am
If you are not trained by a crisis and/or distress call centre, you can still become a certified listener volunteer. To find out how, please go HERE.
What will be expected of you
- You are at least 18 years old.
- 2 pieces of photo ID. ( Your OHIP is not acceptable as a Photo ID ).
- 2 volunteer, work, or school-related references. You can download the reference form HERE.
- 1 Non-Disclosure Agreement. You can download the agreement HERE
- 1 Police Record Check. You can find out more and download the Police Record Check Letter HERE.
- You have been trained by a recognized crisis and/or distress call centre.
- PLEASE NOTE: If you do not have this training, you can still become a certified listener volunteer. To find out how, please go HERE.
- Successful completion of all comprehensive Core Competencies training programs, quizzes and screening process.
- Reliability in fulfilling weekly shift commitments.
- Comply with Certified Listeners Society policies and procedures and our Code of Ethics.
- Maintain a confidential workplace as well as confidentiality about your work.
- Sign and comply with our Volunteer Non-Disclosure Agreement
- Participation in ongoing training and work-related development opportunities.
What is in it for you
- Receive training and insights into your own self that will stay with you for your lifetime. This training will change your life and the lives of the people around you. You will also develop and enhance your communication skills valuable in everyday personal and professional life.
- Helping people in need in your very own community is tremendously rewarding. Online emotional support is a unique opportunity to help others and help them when they need you.
Other benefits include
- Make tangible differences in others’ lives and feel connected to the community.
- Gain experience and confidence in supporting others
- Develop your communication and social skills and gain perspectives, or self-awareness
- Be a part of a supportive team
- Feeling good about yourself
- Training in emotional support
- Enhanced self-growth
- Staying informed on current social issues
- Volunteering experience in an organization where diversity is welcomed and encouraged
- Experience toward a career in social work, psychology, community outreach, etc.
- Upon finishing the Certified Listeners e-training course, you will obtain a Certificate of Completion in recognition of your new interpersonal skills.
- Confirmation of Volunteer Work upon fulfillment of your 50 Hours of volunteering commitment to our clients.
NOTE: As part of our commitment to volunteers, reference letters and confirmations of volunteering experience are provided upon request to individuals who have fulfilled the specified requirements previously stated. Certified Listeners Society can only attest to a volunteer’s skills, experience, and personal qualities. Reference letters and confirmation will state that Certified Listeners Society volunteers are engaged in emotional support, not any type of psychotherapy during the course of their volunteer work.
For your consideration
Due to the nature of the work and the various stressful situations that our clients will require support with, this position may not be a good fit for everyone, especially during this time. Timing is everything; if you are experiencing or have experienced, in the past, your own personal trauma or emotional difficulties, it is crucial to address potential triggers before considering this opportunity.
DIVERSITY: Certified Listeners Society embraces diversity and values the lived experience of those who may have been discriminated against based on race, creed, color, nationality, political or religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family relationship, or disability.
Learn more about our Application Process and FAQ
Review By
Shakiba Tashakori
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2,185
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4.8/5
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This was a very informative and comprehensive training guide. Thank you!
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Shaelyn Thompson
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Unknown
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Nargish Sumrani
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Adenike Oduola
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2,185
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3.5/5
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4.1/5
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The self- paced training was easy to follow and understand. I appreciate the allotment of 12 hours towards the completion of this training which counts towards my Co-op student placement hours.
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Yasamin Toutounchian
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2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Daniel Lopez Rodriguez
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2,185
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4.1/5
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The training was fascinating and it made me realize how to engage more effectively when listening to people. But it had some minor bugs that slowed me down a little but during the lessons 12 and 20
Review By
Amalini Collins
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2,185
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4.9/5
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4.1/5
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Yumeka Wong
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2,185
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Leandro Mileski
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2,185
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4.5/5
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4.1/5
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The training has much more material and covers detailed aspects important for helping people in need. It went above and beyond of my expectations.
Review By
Edna Banjanovic
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2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Extremely informative and easy to follow.
Review By
Miranda Pitt
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2,185
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4.9/5
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4.1/5
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This training program was very thorough and easy to follow. I actually learned a lot more than expected. I appreciated the individual assessments too. Not only was the training informative to use for others, but I will use that information in my personal life as well.
Review By
Patricia Nnaji
Total Reviews
2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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This is amazing program! Very interesting program and very helpful to out community. Am glad to be part of this program.
Review By
George Garcia
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2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Thanuja Kulenthiran
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2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Roberta Ferrari
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2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Loveth Ejindu
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2,185
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4.1/5
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Amber Toutant
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2,185
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3.3/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Hayley Kimball
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2,185
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3/5
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4.1/5
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Abhinav Raghupathy
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2,185
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Charlotte Tenszen
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2,185
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4.6/5
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4.1/5
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Nousheen N/A
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2,185
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4.6/5
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4.1/5
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It was a amazing journey to go through the training as it touches the aspects of communication and help to build skills
Review By
Tanya Sawan
Total Reviews
2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
SAMIR WABER
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2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Sydney Duberville
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2,185
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4/5
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4.1/5
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Unknown
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2,185
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4.4/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Megan Russell
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2,185
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3.9/5
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4.1/5
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Great training, very useful for not only this but for supporting people in everyday life. I found a few of the instructions about the chat platform confusing but otherwise good.
Review By
Anjana Chandrakumar
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2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Joal Telemaque
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2,185
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4.8/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Rebeca Cota
Total Reviews
2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Sameed did great in providing this training.
Review By
Ange Meng
Total Reviews
2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Love the training!
Review By
Maya Sylvester
Total Reviews
2,185
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2.4/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Dhanista Ruwa Naunkoo
Total Reviews
2,185
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5/5
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4.1/5
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The training went on very smooth, very practical and it clearly provided us with the tools to effectively support individuals needing emotional support. To me, personally it was a powerful experience that deepened my knowledge about mental health support. Thank you CLS.