Kids Help Phone’s texting service is the only free, 24/7 bilingual text line for people in Canada. The service is delivered by trained, volunteer crisis responders who work remotely. 

We are recruiting overnight and or bilingual crisis responders who will answer texts from young people looking for support in both English AND French.

The volunteer position will be remote, meaning that you can participate from anywhere in Canada as long you have a strong, reliable internet connection!  

Our volunteers need to be enthusiastic about helping people!

You can be a professional, student, teacher, retiree, or anybody else with a willingness to learn how to support people over text.  

The role of a crisis responder is to bring texters from a “hot” moment to a cool calm one, and to help them come up with a plan to stay healthy and safe.

Crisis responders are trained to do this using active listening and collaborative problem-solving.

Objective: To assist the person with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias (ADOD) and their families by providing companionship for the person, delivering client-specific recreation interventions to stimulate memory, confidence, and overall quality of life, and providing relief for the caregiver.

Time Commitment: A minimum of 2 hours per week for 6 months.

Skills/Abilities:

▪ 19 years of age or older

▪ Creative in adapting to the needs of the person with dementia.

▪ Caring, compassionate and patient.

▪ Good active listening and communication skills.

▪ Ability to work independently.

▪ Ability to accept direction and to ask for help when needed.

▪ Reliable and dependable.

▪ Sensitive and non-judgmental.

▪ Good health and grooming.

▪ Car is helpful, but not required.

Responsibilities:

▪ To complete the Alzheimer Information Series (3 hours) training and the Meaningful Activity In Home (3 hours) training prior to first visit.

▪ To complete 3 sessions of Social Recreation programming in AlzSWP office before being matched.

▪ To meet individually with the Social Recreation Coordinator to review and learn the personalized intervention plan before first visit with client and family.

▪ To visit the person in their home with Social Recreation Coordinator at a prearranged time, convenient to both the family and the volunteer, to introduce self and activities.

▪ To be familiar with the background, skills and interests of the person, and the intervention plan prepared by the Social Recreation Coordinator.

▪ To provide enriching recreational experiences, using the intervention plan, for the person with dementia, taking into account the needs of that person.

▪ To maintain confidentiality of any information learned about the person and their family members, unless safety is a concern.

▪ To ensure that the person with dementia is safe and feels as secure and content as possible.  The volunteer should always carry a list of emergency telephone numbers, and the person’s medical information at all times.

▪ To complete an In Home Recreation Log after every visit and to send logs to the Manager of Volunteer and Social Recreation Services monthly. 

▪ To complete an incident report immediately following an incident of concern.

▪ To keep in regular contact with the Manager of Volunteer and Social Recreation Services and the Social Recreation Coordinator and discuss any areas of concern.

▪ To respect and adhere to the policies and procedures of the Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners.

▪ A willingness to update knowledge of ADOD through information available in our Society resource center and professional development workshops.

Boundaries:

▪ The In Home Recreation volunteer is not expected to, and should not; undertake any activities involving personal care of the person with dementia, such as lifting, bathing, feeding, dressing, toileting or administration of medication(s).

▪ The In Home Recreation volunteer is prohibited from giving medical advice.

▪ The In Home Recreation volunteer is prohibited from becoming involved in the legal and financial affairs of the person with whom they are matched (i.e. banking, Power of Attorney etc.)

Objective: To assist the person with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias (ADOD) and their families by providing companionship for the person, delivering client-specific recreation interventions to stimulate memory, confidence, and overall quality of life, and providing relief for the caregiver.

Time Commitment: A minimum of 2 hours per week for 6 months.

Skills/Abilities:

▪ 19 years of age or older

▪ Creative in adapting to the needs of the person with dementia.

▪ Caring, compassionate and patient.

▪ Good active listening and communication skills.

▪ Ability to work independently.

▪ Ability to accept direction and to ask for help when needed.

▪ Reliable and dependable.

▪ Sensitive and non-judgmental.

▪ Good health and grooming.

▪ Car is helpful, but not required.

Responsibilities:

▪ To complete the Alzheimer Information Series (3 hours) training and the Meaningful Activity In Home (3 hours) training prior to first visit.

▪ To complete 3 sessions of Social Recreation programming in AlzSWP office before being matched.

▪ To meet individually with the Social Recreation Coordinator to review and learn the personalized intervention plan before first visit with client and family.

▪ To visit the person in their home with Social Recreation Coordinator at a prearranged time, convenient to both the family and the volunteer, to introduce self and activities.

▪ To be familiar with the background, skills and interests of the person, and the intervention plan prepared by the Social Recreation Coordinator.

▪ To provide enriching recreational experiences, using the intervention plan, for the person with dementia, taking into account the needs of that person.

▪ To maintain confidentiality of any information learned about the person and their family members, unless safety is a concern.

▪ To ensure that the person with dementia is safe and feels as secure and content as possible.  The volunteer should always carry a list of emergency telephone numbers, and the person’s medical information at all times.

▪ To complete an In Home Recreation Log after every visit and to send logs to the Manager of Volunteer and Social Recreation Services monthly. 

▪ To complete an incident report immediately following an incident of concern.

▪ To keep in regular contact with the Manager of Volunteer and Social Recreation Services and the Social Recreation Coordinator and discuss any areas of concern.

▪ To respect and adhere to the policies and procedures of the Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners.

▪ A willingness to update knowledge of ADOD through information available in our Society resource center and professional development workshops.

Boundaries:

▪ The In Home Recreation volunteer is not expected to, and should not; undertake any activities involving personal care of the person with dementia, such as lifting, bathing, feeding, dressing, toileting or administration of medication(s).

▪ The In Home Recreation volunteer is prohibited from giving medical advice.

▪ The In Home Recreation volunteer is prohibited from becoming involved in the legal and financial affairs of the person with whom they are matched (i.e. banking, Power of Attorney etc.)

Volunteers will be responsable for meeting with a clients weekly or bi-weekly to add enrichment to peoples lives. Clients are blind or have vision loss to some degree, which often requires adpaments to life. Volunteers are required to socialse with them and add normal contact back in their lives after the effects of the pandemic. They can go for walks, visit community gardens, really anything the pair would enjoy. The requirement are up to the two people who are paired.