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
Precious Olagbegi
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
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4.8/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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The training session was very effective and engaging, but at some point it felt like there was a lot of information to understand at once. However, I believe after more training and practice I would get used to everything. Thank you.
Review By
Habiba Elmi
Total Reviews
2,378
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3.9/5
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4.1/5
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Sena Gok
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2,378
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4.8/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Puneeta Dheendsa
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2,378
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Radhika chhibber
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2,378
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2.1/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Louise Limoges
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2,378
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3.4/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Julia Dancey
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2,378
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5/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Arshvir Kaler
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2,378
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4.8/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Alex Callahan
Total Reviews
2,378
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3.8/5
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4.1/5
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This training was very beneficial, I learned a lot! I would definitely recommend this volunteering opportunity to anyone looking to provide support in people who are looking for a safe voice to chat with.
Review By
Lorna McCall
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
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3.5/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Rajni Kalia
Total Reviews
2,378
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4.8/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Ritam Banerji
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
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4.4/5
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4.1/5
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I prefer a face-to-face training session. But this would not be possible currently. So given the limitations, it was a very engaging session. I feel pretty clear about the process.
Review By
Roselyn Harris
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
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5/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Shanuja Manoratnam
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
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2.5/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Summary … read summary
I think there should be more engaging aspects to ensure comprehension. Also, it would be useful to know how long the training is, ahead of time. Apart from that, everything was effective and helpful. Thank you.
Review By
Sayada Karim
Total Reviews
2,378
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Comprehension
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4.4/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Melissa Hillier
Total Reviews
2,378
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4.8/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Paige Zuber
Total Reviews
2,378
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4.4/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Ash Chandrasekhar
Total Reviews
2,378
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4.6/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Tigran Avagyan
Total Reviews
2,378
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5/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Julia M.
Total Reviews
2,378
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3.8/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Pahulpreet Kaur
Total Reviews
2,378
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5/5
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4.1/5
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The best volunteering experience!
Review By
Victoria Gajewski
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
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4.3/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Asad Dar
Total Reviews
2,378
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5/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Kirandip Virk
Total Reviews
2,378
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5/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Alisha How
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
Comprehension
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Engagements
3.8/5
Review Score
4.1/5
Overall Score
Summary … read summary
horrid AI generated video for the generational patterns, which initially made me very skeptical about the rest of the training, but very overall the training for helping skills around grief and mental illness was very good. as someone who uses a preferred name it was often very unclear if i should put my preferred or legal name in forms, and this is the biggest area of improvement i think CLS could make, as people use preferred names for many reasons and deserve to be accomodated. finally, it’s unclear how high you have to score in the quizzes, and if you should retake them to score 100% or not, and many of the videos are notably old and sometimes outdated to CLS’s current procedures and tawk.to layout.
Review By
Annabel Nito Dimalanta
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
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5/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Kristine Guevarra
Total Reviews
2,378
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5/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Catherine Antwi
Total Reviews
2,378
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4.5/5
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4.1/5
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Review By
Unknown
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
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5/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Summary … read summary
The training was very helpful for volunteers. Using videos and sample scenarios is an excellent approach to engage learners. Visual and interactive elements can help participants grasp concepts more effectively. Incorporating sample scenarios allows participants to practice and apply the concepts they learn in a realistic context. This helps bridge the gap between theory and practical skills.
Review By
Maria Cahoy
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
Comprehension
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Engagements
4.8/5
Review Score
4.1/5
Overall Score
Summary … read summary
Awesome training program and amazing community! I feel very supported!
Review By
Yasmin Singh
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
Comprehension
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Engagements
3.6/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Bhavleen Mangat
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
Comprehension
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Engagements
4.8/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Review By
Dilpreet Dhaliwal
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
Comprehension
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4/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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Summary … no summary submited
Review By
Yi Yang Fei
Total Reviews
2,378
Effectiveness
Comprehension
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5/5
Review Score
4.1/5
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