Becoming a counsellor
Switchboard prides itself in providing a high-quality, peer-based telephone counselling, information and referral service to Victoria's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities. Since 1991, we have been operating and refining our intensive and often challenging 10-week training programme. Entry to the training is not automatic, but by invitation following an initial selection based on written applications and followed by an Orientation Day.
Selection process for prospective counsellors
Training programs begin with an Orientation Day which introduces prospective counsellors to Switchboard and the commitment expected of them throughout the training program and once they join the service. Orientation Day involves a number of exercises that are designed to assist the Training Team to determine if you will be suited to peer telephone counselling. It is also an opportunity for you to decide if Gay and Lesbian Switchboard is a group you would like to join.
Because of the peer-based nature of the service, people must identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender to be eligible for selection. Applications from people of non-Anglo background are strongly encouraged.
Desirable attributes for becoming a counsellor include a willingness to:
- learn and change
- challenge one's own beliefs and assumptions
- understand one's own subjectivity
- recognise that one cannot "solve" or "fix" other people's problems but can offer options and support others decisions
- be understanding and informed about particular issues that may affect the opposite gender
The nature of counselling work
Making a regular long-term commitment to work as a counsellor for Switchboard can be a challenging, emotionally demanding and sometimes frustrating undertaking. It can also be quite an isolated task.
During a two/three hour shift, a counsellor will see other counsellors on duty, and those arriving for the next shift.
Switchboard offers limited opportunities for socialising compared to other volunteer roles in the GLBTI community. It does offer the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to build a stronger and more enriched GLBTI community as well as directly assisting individuals in need of support and information.
Switchboard produces a weekly email newsletter forwarded to all counsellors. An integral component of Switchboard is fundraising and counsellors are encoruaged to participate in these social activities. Four times a year you will be asked to attend in-service training to aid your professional development as a counsellor.
To Volunteer
We are now accepting applications for our next intake of volunteers.
If you are an experienced counsellor click here to check the training course schedule for 2008.
If you are new to counselling click here for details about the next training course.
If you would like to become a Switchboard volunteer counsellor, please fill out our on-line registration form so that we can add you to our database. Once the schedule for the next course is known, you will be notified.