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| - Have you ever had a moment in your life when the bottom kind of drops out of your world and you don't know what to do? Or maybe you've had trouble making ends meet and didn't know where to turn? Has there ever been a relationship that you've been desperate to save, salvage, change, or get out of, and you found that you kept running out of places to turn to or ideas to pursue? Have you ever just had a really, really bad day and needed someone to talk to?
Distress Centre Calgary is a not-for-profit agency that provides crisis support, information, and referral services, free of charge. The 24 hour crisis telephone lines (403-266-1605) are an absolutely essential service that reaches out to people in need from all walks of life. The lines are answered by highly trained volunteers, who undergo screening and participate in an in-depth, three week training period in which they learn the basics of crisis intervention, and become familiar with current social issues and community resources. Volunteers work in conjunction with staff to provide callers with assistance in topics that include (but are not limited to) suicide, mental health, domestic violence, grief and loss, sexuality, youth and seniors' issues, relationships, and homelessness. By calling in, anyone can access immediate support in whatever situation they are currently facing.
Volunteers are not professional counsellors and do not provide advice or therapy over the phones. However, they can lend an empathetic ear, talk you through your problems, and often give you a fresh perspective on your current crisis. They can also help you to find and connect with community resources that are relevant to your situation; Senior's Connect, Alberta Health Services' Mobile Response Team, and Wood's Homes' Community Resource Team are only a few of the programs with which the Distress Centre is partnered. Distress Centre also delivers the 211 service, which is a wonderful portal for information on services available in your community.
I cannot stress enough how wonderful this organization is. If you are looking for a long-term volunteer commitment that is meaningful and personally rewarding, and through which you can improve the lives of those within your community and out of it, this is the place to go. Visit their website (http://distresscentre.com/) to find out more detailed information on how to join up, and the different services that they offer.
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