Volunteer on the Hotline
Join our compassionate team at Samaritans + help save lives - become a crisis hotline volunteer!
Become a hotline volunteer.
Samaritans’ volunteers change the lives of each person they help, and they change their own lives in the process.
Hotline Volunteering
You’ll be trained in non-judgmental, active listening, crisis communication, and learn how to effectively support someone in crisis, whatever they’re facing.
✓ Be There When It Matters Most
✓ Gain Valuable Skills
✓ Build Professional and Academic Credentials
✓ Join a Caring Community
✓ Deepen Your Sense of Purpose
Why become a Samaritans' volunteer?
Build Academic + Professional Credentials
Hotline volunteers develop invaluable personal and professional skills. Samaritans is a volunteer organization that operates a professional service. The hotline is a respected, professional environment. It has helped volunteers land jobs in the public and private sector. Volunteering on the hotline is a stepping stone for a career in the mental health. Samaritans’ volunteers have gone on to some of the top graduate programs in the country for social work, psychology, public health, medicine & related fields.
Connect to Community + Deepen Your Sense of Purpose
Many of our volunteers say their hotline work is more gratifying than their 9-5. Joining Samaritans means becoming part of a group of dedicated individuals who don’t just talk about making a difference, they step up and do the serious work. In pursuing our shared mission, volunteers discover an incredible community that is both professional and nurturing. As a volunteer you work collaboratively with others while you derive a deep sense of fulfillment giving back.
When you answer calls as a Samaritans volunteer you’re not just filling a role
You’re filling a gap in someone’s support network at a critical moment. As a hotline volunteer, you’ll receive intensive training in crisis response, active listening, equipping you with the essential skills to genuinely help someone in their time of need.
A SAMARITANS' HOTLINE VOLUNTEER
Meet Olaide!
Olaide, one of Samaritans’ remarkable volunteers shares her story and unique perspective about her experience answering calls on the hotline.
Learn how she got involved with Samaritans and how volunteering has changed her life, including her favorite ways to unwind after a shift!
What is it like to be a Samaritans volunteer?
A SAMARITANS HOTLINE VOLUNTEER
Meet Olaide!
Olaide, one of Samaritans’ remarkable volunteers shares her story and unique perspective about her experience answering calls on the hotline.
Learn how she got involved with Samaritans and how volunteering has changed her life, including her favorite ways to unwind after a shift!
What is it like to be a Samaritans volunteer?
We asked some volunteer’s to share their experiences. Here’s what they had to say…
How do you know the right thing to say?
I learned it’s not so much what you say, but how you relate to a caller. I focus on bringing compassion to each call and taking what a caller says seriously and really listening to what they’re going through. It’s about connecting with that person instead of always searching for the perfect, A+ answer.
Before training I thought of giving advice as helping someone. But in reality, it’s not about ‘you should do this’ or ‘you could do that.’ We’re not there to tell people what to do. We are there so people have a place where they can be heard without being subjected to other people’s opinions (mine included).
How do you know the right thing to say?
It’s important work, it’s challenging work, and anyone who wants to try it should seek it out. If it’s the right fit for you, it will make a huge difference in your life.
When a shift is over, you feel like, yeah, that was intense… You’re drained, but then you think, okay, I was there for those people, and I was able to help them get through that moment. I can’t change their life, but I was able to listen to them, and they were heard.
Do you know what happens to the people who call?
The beauty of Samaritans is that it is truly anonymous & absolutely confidential. And so the people who call feel safe to say exactly what they’re thinking. They really open up because they know that about our service
Do we know what happens? Not really, but a lot of callers do call back. I think people should be able to get help in a way that feels right for them. So you know, I might might wonder about a caller after a call, but it’s humbling to know I was able to be there for someone when they really needed it.
At first it was hard to think that I’d be talking to someone and then when the call is over, that’s it. But after being on the lines and listening to what people go through, it changed everything for me. You realize pretty fast how big of a deal it is for someone to be able to talk without holding back. And my concerns and curiosities kind of fell by the wayside.
Do you ever doubt your ability to do this work?
I guess the only time I might would be if I wasn’t in a great headspace myself. It’s like any job, when things are going smoothly in your own life, it’s usually the same at work. When you’re feeling stressed, or have stuff going on in your personal life, work becomes harder, too.
Is the hotline busier at certain times than others?
When a shift is over, you feel like, yeah, that was intense… You’re drained, but then you think, okay, I was there for those people, and I was able to help them get through that moment. I can’t change their life, but I was able to listen to them, and they were heard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the applicant requirements:
1. Must be 18+
2. Responsible + punctual
3. Have good verbal + written communication skills
4. Willing to work as part of a collaborative team
5. Able to donate around one shift a week—morning, afternoon, or evening, based on personal availability
6. To support our 24-hr service, volunteers must complete one overnight shift each month
7. No experience necessary!
Confidentiality
Samaritans is committed to offering a service that is both anonymous and completely confidential to those in distress.
This policy is fundamental to the safety and security of the individuals we support, our volunteers and staff and the integrity of the organization. All volunteers are required to adhere to this policy.
Professionalism
Samaritans is a volunteer organization that operates a professional service.
This means that all applicants are required to demonstrate the same levels of accountability, responsibility and punctuality that would be required in any professional service environment.
Who should volunteer?
Our volunteers are a remarkable team of individuals from across NYC’s diverse communities who are devoted to helping people get through their most difficult times. Including:
Motivated community members looking to have a real impact!
- – Members of the general workforce
- – Freelancers, those in the arts
- – Parents, empty-nesters
- – Retirees
- – Aspiring mental health professionals
- – Students
- – Many others!
Can I do this work from home?
Currently, we do not offer the option to volunteer remotely for the Samaritans’ hotline.
In order to maintain our policy to offer a completely confidential and anonymous service, we do not utilize any technology that could identify callers.
All hotline volunteer work is conducted on-site. For more information, request a packet.
Do I have to do an overnight shift?
To ensure our 24-hour service remains operational, all volunteers are expected to cover one overnight shift per month, from 11pm to 8am.
The overnight shift counts as the weekly commitment for that week. There are designated times for volunteers to take breaks during the overnight and a comfortable place to rest— think of it as a bad night’s sleep rather than a completely sleepless one.
The facility is also outfitted with clean, private shower areas and a kitchen, ensuring you can freshen up and grab something to eat before your day. This setup is especially practical for our volunteers who work traditional 9-5 jobs.
When is the volunteer training?
Samaritans offers several training cycles each year. The training is a combination of in-person and virtual sessions. Details for upcoming cycles and class dates can be found in the packet.
Our training classes are designed to build on each other and utilize an interactive, group-process based learning model that cannot be made up if missed.
Potential volunteers MUST be able to attend all classes for the cycle they choose to join. This structure ensures that volunteers are fully prepared and equipped to respond to callers on the hotline.
What is the training like?
Hotline volunteers go through intensive training and learn the skills and knowledge to effectively support someone in crisis.
Our training includes: crisis communications; learning to practice non-judgmental support; active listening; determining degree of risk (warning signs, risk and protective factors for suicide, assessing suicidal ideation), etc.
The training experiences I received were some of the most comprehensive, thoughtful, and effective as any I received in my graduate training on my path to becoming a clinical psychologist.”
-Jonathan Weinstein, Ph.D. and Former Volunteer,
What is the volunteer commitment?
To fulfill the minimum volunteer commitment, volunteers are required to complete 6 months of service following their final training class.
Those who serve for one year or more and remain in good standing with the organization are eligible for letters of recommendation.
Over the years, hundreds of volunteers have leveraged a recommendation from Samaritans as a pivotal component in job applications, career advancement, and gaining acceptance into graduate programs.
This commitment not only supports our mission but also significantly contributes to the personal and professional growth of our volunteers.
Request Information to Become a Hotline Volunteer
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The Samaritans of New York, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to the fullest extent of the law. EIN 13-3164464