No prior experience is needed. Volunteers undergo twenty hours of counselor training. Training sessions are offered twice a year. Volunteers are asked to work one shift twice a month and no more than on shift once a week. Volunteers are also asked to be committed to work for at least six months in order to benefit training.
Volunteers receive twenty hours of classroom training before handling calls.
They are then required to sit in on four shifts with an experienced listener. Volunteers are asked to work one shift a week. Day shifts are three hours and evening shifts are four hours. There are two nine hour shifts on the weekend. Volunteers are asked to commit for at least a period of two quarters.