National Runaway Safeline

They provided great training and support for the volunteers.

I volunteered as a liner for a couple of years with the National Runaway Safeline and was so sad to have to stop recently due to an overloaded schedule. Once a week, liners take calls from youth in crisis situations and provide them with a non-judgmental listening ear and access to resources and information that the youth may desperately need. You get trained really well. You make friends with other passionate people. And there are few volunteer opportunities out there where you feel your impact more. Plus, the NRS staff are awesome-- so supportive, so appreciative, and so fun! I recommend this place to literally every person I meet in Chicago who has a heart for young people. You won't regret it!!!

They do little with reaching out to potential volunteers.

This is a great organization and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a volunteer job that makes you feel like a hero every day, coming to the rescue of kids and families in crisis who have no other place to turn to. It's enjoyable because of the fun atmosphere, the wide variety of calls, and the wide assortment of people you will meet here. Volunteers include high school students, older retirees and everyone in between, from all backgrounds. You don't need any special skills or background for this work, just the willingness to learn and the ability to listen carefully and with empathy. You will be expected to work well on a team and to accept supervision and oversight. The staff is great and they respect volunteers as peers. There are plenty of supervisors on duty to help you and to step in if you need assistance with a tough call. You won't often need help, though, because the training is very thorough. You learn a lot before you are allowed to take calls.