Help Others Help Themselves

With summer just around the corner and the organizations of all your impending summer plans underway, consider how you could make an impact with your extra time to help someone in a palpable way. The Fraser Health Crisis Line is the longest running and busiest emotional distress help line in British Columbia. The majority of the organization is made up of volunteers, which reflects their core values and selfless commitment to the people who are calling.

And they are constantly recruiting more help.

Historically, many SFU students have engaged themselves with this rewarding opportunity and have, according to Program Coordinator Lisa Bolour, asserted that they “Truly…gained so much as a volunteer [with the Crisis Line]” and even that their “experience solidified [their] goal[s].” Students also often saw acceptance into certain graduate programs as being a direct result of their association with the Crisis Line. This opportunity teaches you how to have a better listening ear and gives you the capacity to make real human connections with people. These are skills that are not only intrinsically valuable, but obvious to someone looking at an application as well.

Here are the details:

• Visit www.options.bc.ca and follow the link for the Crisis Line
• OR Find and ‘like them on Facebook at Options Community Services
• No previous experience is needed
• Extensive training and continuous support will be provided throughout your time as a volunteer
• The next training session starts soon!

So, next time you are looking for volunteer opportunities and experience that will stand out on your resume, consider something that will not only garner you those practical benefits, but that might also give a depth of purpose to your time given.