Lifeline Sydney & Sutherland Certificate IV in Telephone Counselling

Course information

Applications for Semester 1, 2012 are now CLOSED for Sydney, Ashfield and Sutherland sites. Applications for next intake will open 25 May 2012.

After completing your application, please contact our office within three working days on 8922 9072 to confirm we have received your application form.

All training is provided, no formal qualifications are necessary. There is a selection process and course numbers are limited. Applicants must be 21 years old and over, mature, caring and non-judgmental. We are seeking volunteers with a passion of giving back to their community.

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

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.

Becoming a Lifeline Telephone Counsellor is a journey that will enrich your life both personally and socially. There are several Lifeline Centres in the Greater Sydney Area. Please check the Lifeline Australia website at www.lifeline.org.au for further information.

What does the training involve?

Our 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 skills and community issues. The lectures, group work and on-line learning have been designed and combined to teach specific counselling skills and explore how telephone counsellors can assist callers.

Lifeline Sydney & Sutherland has a reputation for quality training and has been delivering this training for over ten years. Skills acquired from the training can be useful in everyday life. Volunteer Telephone Counsellors report that their involvement with Lifeline Sydney & Sutherland has opened up new opportunities in their lives with future career development and prospects. The experience gained at Lifeline may complement other training courses in counselling, psychology or psychotherapy.

For a look at how our training is scheduled, see the calendar and curriculum for the current course. Our next course commences in July 2012. Training calendars will be updated by 25 May.

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 at least seven days before the start of the training.

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 Sydney & Sutherland to invite you to become a volunteer telephone counsellor.

Do you want a national qualification?

Lifeline Sydney & Sutherland 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

Attendance

Students are expected to actively engage in the training process in order to maximise the potential of the course. As such, students will need to:

Attend all training sessions; (students can discuss mitigating personal circumstances with heir trainer if this is not possible);
Complete all e-learning;
Demonstrate punctuality and reliability;
Participate fully all training activities;
Be committed to completing assessment activities;
Respect the rights of others;
Ensure that their actions and behaviour model the expectations outlined in Lifeline’s Code of Ethics, Policies and Procedures and Standards; and
Seek support regarding any aspect of the training as needed.

Students who do not complete the compulsory modules (3, 7 and 12) or who miss 2 modules will be asked to review their training commitment and to withdraw from the current course of study. Students may return to commence a future training program at no extra cost within their Centres timeframe.

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 either four 6-hour shifts or three 8-hour overnight shifts.

Supervision

Telephone Counsellors in their initial year are required to attend supervision sessions 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

Applications for Semester 1, 2012 are now CLOSED for Sydney, Ashfield and Sutherland sites.

Applications for next intake will open 25 May 2012.

All training is provided, no formal qualifications are necessary. There is a selection process and course numbers are limited. Applicants must be 18 years and above, mature, caring and non-judgmental.