Volunteer
Volunteering for Leeds Nightline is one of the most rewarding experiences and we’re always looking for new, enthusiastic students to join us.
Whether you’re a student from Leeds University, Leeds Beckett, Leeds Trinity, Leeds Arts University, Leeds Conservatoire, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, the University of Law and Backstage Academy; we want you to get involved and help support your fellow students.
Our applications for our September 2024 intake are now open! Just fill in the form linked below.
What do we expect from our volunteers?
Volunteers need to be enthusiastic, reliable and committed to Nightline. They must also understand the importance of maintaining confidentiality and anonymity within the service at all times – what happens in Nightline, stays in Nightline!
Volunteers staff the phone lines from 8pm to 8am and are expected to cover three shifts a term. Our phone line and our IM service both run from 8pm to 8am every day of the week.
We also understand that students have busy lives so we operate on a rota basis where you can select which night is most convenient for you.
We also ask that you attend our monthly meetings to keep up to date with everything Nightline.
Ultimately, we want the best volunteers to help us to continue to deliver a high quality service to support all students living in Leeds.
What can you expect from us?
As a Nightliner, your support is greatly appreciated! In return, we offer you:
- extensive training in listening and communication skills
- the experience of being part of a friendly and supportive community with fantastic socials!
- the opportunity to extend responsibilities within the service by becoming part of the support team or even a member of the Nightline Committee.
Application and Training
If you’re interested in joining Nightline, we have two recruitment drives each year; one in October and one in February. It starts with an online application form and after submitting your form, the next stage involves an informal interview which is a chance for us to get to know you a bit better and see whether you are suited to being a Nightliner.
If you are successful, you will then be invited to two training weekends where volunteers are trained in small groups by experienced Nightliners. It is a requirement that all volunteers MUST attend ALL training sessions.
During training, volunteers develop an in depth understanding of Nightline’s principles in addition to good listening and information providing skills. You will then learn to apply these skills to a range of situations you may face as a volunteer.
Please bear in mind, due to time constraints, we will only be able to accept a limited number of finalists and masters students. Unfortunately, we are unable to train you if you are in the final semester of your degree.
If you have any further questions about becoming a volunteer, please get in touch at training@leedsnightline.co.uk
We look forward to meeting you soon!
