Become a volunteer at the counseling service on the phone Erfurt

You become part of the counselling on the phone and in the chat.

"Hello, do you have time for me right now?" "Can I talk to you about anything?"

This or something similar is often how conversations begin at the telephone counselling service. But it is not always the big dramas and personal catastrophes that make people dial the free number of the TelefonSeelsorge. Many of the 8,343 calls that reached the TelefonSeelsorge Erfurt in 2022 were mainly about everyday worries and needs that can affect any of us:

Worries about relatives, fear of war and violence, fears about the future due to inflation, but above all they were about loneliness and isolation.

People who are looking for a way out of their limitations or want to develop new perspectives for their lives experience when talking to a telephone counsellor that there is simply someone there who listens and sorts things out with them. This often creates initial relief and great closeness in the conversation.

Your Tasks

• Being for the lonely, the sick, those seeking advice
• Support in life crises
• Counselling care on the phone and in chat

What's needed

• At least 25 years old
• Proximity to the Christian faith
• Commitment to confidentiality
• Respect of anonymity
• Regular assumption of day and night duties
• Regular participation in training, continuing education and supervision

Time required

Training

Many concerns of the callers can only be discussed properly if the TS-worker knows the most important problem contexts.

The training will not take place in the form of theoretical teaching, as you may know it from previous trainings. Instead, the focus will be on you and your experience with yourself and in the group!

The training course lasts 10 months, i.e. approx. 17 evenings or Saturdays, plus observation (practical guidance by experienced TS staff). The experiences made here, as well as the experiences of the first own services are worked on in the group.

The training is free of charge for the participants.

The training usually takes place in a group of up to 20 participants. The training team consists of the director, an experienced volunteer and, if necessary, speakers on individual topics.

Collaboration

You will work in the TelefonSeelsorge Erfurt for at least 2 years after completing the training. You will work 3-4 shifts per month of at least 10-12 hours and one night shift per quarter. Weekends and holidays are of course included.

Telephone work also includes participation in a supervision group that meets monthly. Participation in at least two continuing education events per year reinforces the content taught during training. The work in staff groups, the participation in meetings, festivities and celebrations serves, in addition to the further training, the mutual support and help and the cohesion among the employees.

Important notice

• Training and continuing education are free
• Travel expenses are reimbursed

The TelefonSeelsorge Erfurt introduces itself

The ecumenical TelefonSeelsorge Erfurt e.V. was founded in 1992, it stands in sponsorship of the Protestant and Catholic church. In the past year we celebrated our 30-year existence. We are a team of trained volunteers with different professions, life situations and denominations. We are available around the clock, even when other drop-in centers are already closed.

"Hello, do you have time for me right now?" "Can I talk to you about anything?"

This or something similar is often how conversations begin at the Telephone counselling. It is not always the large dramas and personal disasters, which makes people dial our number. Many of the 8.343 calls, which reached us in 2022, were primarily about everyday worries and needs, the kind of things we all know:

worries about relatives, fear of war and violence, fears about the future due to inflation, but above all they were about loneliness and isolation.

People who are looking for a way out of their limitations or want to develop new perspectives for their lives, experience through our counselling that there is someone who listens and sorts things with them. That often creates a first relief and large proximity in the phone call.

At present 69 volunteers work in Erfurt at the counselling telephone, which is attainable anonymously and around the clock. The nationwide free phone numbers of the counselling telephone are the following: 0800 111 0 111 and 0800 111 0 222

We are always looking for people who engage in this valuable service.

For more information about our work, please contact the office of the ecunomical Telefonseelsorge Erfurt e.V. at Tel. 0361/5621620, by mail: telefonseelsorge.ef@t-online.de or on our homepage: www.telefonseelsorge-erfurt.de