Distress Centre Needs Your Help!

The Distress Centre of Windsor-Essex County is looking for volunteers to provide emotional support and emergency crisis interventions to over 3,000 people who seek help every year.


Distress Centre executive director Rukshini Ponniah said she's noticed a drastic increase in the number of callers over the past year, partially due to the increase of economic uncertainty and strife so many in the Windsor-Essex Community are still faced with.

“We need people who are good listeners and are non-judgmental," she said. "We don't give advice. We listen to people, try to support them through whatever they’re going through, and provide them with community resources if they need further help."

Volunteers must participate in an extensive training program, which begins September 20th, and must be willing to work a minimum of 16 hours per month over a period of 12 months.

The Distress Centre is currently looking for candidates over the age of 19 who are capable of working in a stressful environment. Ponniah said experience is not necessary, but the ability to demonstrate empathy and skills taught during training is imperative. She said a large number of volunteers are University and College students from Social Services, Psychology, and Policing programs, but people of all ages and backgrounds are welcome to apply.

Ponniah said the Distress Centre will be sending out packages to employers in the different sectors during the Fall, so that more people can be made aware of the free, confidential and anonymous service that Centre Volunteers provide, 365 days a year. "Unfortunately, not a lot of people are aware of our existence in the community, so we're hoping to raise our profile." Additional promotion done with Employers and Service Agencies in the region, as well as advertising funded by Grants, has proved to sometimes double Call Volume.

Anyone interested in volunteering at the Distress Centre should e-mail support@dcwindsor.com with their availability for a brief Phone Interview before Sept. 15th. Those needing emotional support, crisis intervention, suicide prevention, or community referrals, are encouraged to call 519-256-5000 between 12 noon and 12 midnight.


by Deborah Jones Publisher Biz X Magazine

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