Lifeline Sydney & Sutherland training course information

Applications for course 2, 2010 are now closed.

All training is provided, no formal qualifications are necessary. There is a selection process and course numbers are limited. Applicants need to be at least 21 years old, mature, caring and non-judgmental.

Please check your availability for all training dates before applying for the course.

Please read the information on how to apply below.

We will be holding information sessions at the following times and locations. We ask that all applicants attend an information session to get a good understanding of the commitment that is required in undertaking the course and becoming a Lifeline telephone counsellor.

Your attendance at the information session is required if you wish to enrol in the course.

Sydney Information Session Tuesday, 20 July, 2010 – 6.00pm - 8:00pm
Venue: Wesley Mission, Level 3, 220 Pitt Street, Sydney
Ashfield Information Session Wednesday, 21 July, 2010 – 10:00am -12:00pm
Venue to be confirmed
Sutherland Information Session Thursday, 22 July, 2010 – 10.00am - 12:00pm
Venue: Frank Vickery Village Auditorium, Bellingara Rd, Sylvania NSW 2224.

Becoming a Lifeline Telephone Counsellor is a journey that will enrich your life. There are several Lifeline Centres in the Greater Sydney Area. These are located at Balgowlah (9949-5522), Gordon (9498-8805) and Westmead (9891-6212). Please contact these centres directly if they are more convenient for you.

What does the training involve?

Our initial training course for telephone counsellors is conducted twice a year, commencing in February and August. Training is held at each of our three sites:

Sydney city site - Tuesdays from 6.00pm to 9.00pm
Ashfield site - Wednesdays from 10.00am to 1.00pm
Sutherland site - Thursdays from 10.00am to 1.00pm.

This course covers a range of counselling related topics. Lectures, small group work and on line learning have been designed and combined to teach specific counselling skills and explore how telephone counsellors can assist callers. The training includes role-plays to practise these skills, assess competency and provide feedback.

Lifeline Sydney & Sutherland has a reputation for quality training. Skills acquired from the training can be useful in everyday life. Volunteer telephone counsellors report that their involvement with Lifeline has opened up new opportunities in their lives. The experience gained at Lifeline may complement other training courses in counselling, psychology or psychotherapy.

NB: During the third week of training trainees are required to complete the ASIST course (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training). This must be completed over two consecutive days (please refer to the Calendar of Training for specific dates.

See the calendar and curriculum for our next course, commencing with the Information Session in August 2010:

Course Fees

The course fee is $595 (No GST). Please note that this is a subsidised fee which does not cover the full cost of the training. The fee covers:

15 week telephone counsellor training course
Training materials
Two day ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) course and workbook
Ongoing professional development and supervision

We request payment in full by cash or credit card on or before the first night of training. For information on our refunds, please see our student handbook.

Assessment and Certification

Assessment occurs throughout the training process with feedback and ongoing support provided. Once you have successfully completed the training course it is up to Lifeline to invite you to become a volunteer telephone counsellor.

Do you want a national qualification?

Lifeline is an RTO (Registered Training Organisation), this means you can also complete a Certificate IV in Telephone Counselling Skills (CHC41002). The benefits include:

Nationally accredited qualification recognised throughout Australia
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for other nationally recognised qualifications
Membership of professional organisation
Pathways to selected university qualifications.

Volunteer Commitment

Telephone Shifts

Our volunteer telephone counsellors perform a regular fortnightly shift of four to five hours, which amounts to 100 hours a year. We have a 24-hour roster and shifts are allocated to suit you. Beds, bathroom and kitchen facilities are available for your comfort. Each year, we request telephone counsellors complete four 6-hour or three 8-hour overnight shifts.

Supervision

Telephone counsellors in their initial year are required to attend supervision sessions initially on a monthly basis, for three months and then quarterly for the remaining nine months as part of the accreditation process. Accredited counsellors are required to attend supervision every 3 months which equates to four supervision contacts per annum. All telephone counsellors are required to attend at least one individual supervision session and at least one skills-based supervision session per annum. There are also group supervision sessions available.

Counsellor Development

Telephone counsellors are required to attend a minimum of four hours of counsellor development sessions.

Volunteer telephone counsellors are expected to adhere to Lifeline Sydney & Sutherland policies and procedures and fulfil accreditation and re-accreditation requirements.

Application Process