Remote opportunity

Unlimited positions available

As a Shout Volunteer, you’ll have text conversations with young people and adults. The role is fully flexible and can be done from the comfort of your own home. The service is available 24/7 so you can volunteer at a time that suits you.

Your role is to be there for in the moment for someone in distress, and to listen without judgement.

Commitment

It costs Shout £250 to train every new volunteer to take life-saving conversations, which is why they ask you to commit to volunteering for a minimum of 200 hours.

How you choose to give these hours is totally up to you and many volunteers choose to stay with them for much longer.

Application Process

The Shout team is on hand to answer any questions you have while filling out your application. Once you’ve submitted this and provided two references, it will be reviewed. You’ll usually hear from them within four weeks. 

Apply now

Training and support

If your application is successful, you’ll be enrolled in a training group. New groups start every two weeks.

Shout Volunteers receive 25 hours of free training in communication, listening, managing and assessing risk and problem solving. The training is self-paced and done online. You’ll learn how to bring people in distress to a place of calm and practice skills that will be useful to you throughout life.

• Commitment: complete 25 hours of training within six weeks
• Training: can be accessed using a computer and Google Chrome
• Practising: you’ll complete activities and simulated conversations, receiving a pass grade before moving on to the next stage

You’ll be kind and compassionate, a good listener, and have the ability to remain calm when supporting people in crisis. You will also:

• Understand the difference between being friendly and being a friend
• Be aware of your own mental health and wellbeing
• Be open-minded
• Be supportive
• Be reliable
• Be discreet and able to hold confidentiality
• Be accepting and non-judgemental
• Be passionate about contributing some of your time to a cause such as Shout
• Adopt a growth mindset, and be willing to accept feedback

Shout Volunteers come from all walks of life and for many reasons. MHI could not run Shout without them.

The role is rewarding and can save lives. Shout Volunteers say they gain a sense of pride, satisfaction and purpose from taking conversations. They also say their own wellbeing increases, that they learn valuable skills and gain experience they can use at work and in their personal lives.

In addition, you are joining a friendly and supportive community of other volunteers, where you can make lifelong friendships, connecting with other volunteers through our online portal and at occasional in-person events.

Volunteering can also be a great addition to your CV. You do not need to have any past experience in mental health to be a Shout Volunteer - we’ll provide you with all the training and support you need to do the role.

N/A

You must live in the United Kingdom or New Zealand and be over 18 years of age. You will need a reliable internet connection and a private place to take your shift. 

All of your volunteering must be done using a laptop or desktop computer and Google Chrome.

Our Volunteer Training Support team is here to support you, answer any questions and provide feedback during training and throughout your time with Shout. You’ll be joining an incredibly supportive volunteer community and have access to the resources you need to do your role.

While you're training, we’ll conduct a background check, which you won’t be able to start volunteering without.

As volunteers, you’ll be supporting people in distress, so it’s important that we see the skills required in training. While most trainees complete the training and go onto volunteer, not everyone will pass the training. If this happens, there are other ways you can still support us.