About six months ago, I decided to volunteer at the local crisis intervention center as a suicide phone line counsellor. This is something I’ve wanted to do for many years, but am just now getting around to making the time.
The center holds training sessions three times a year. I was ready begin in June but business travel obligations made that impossible. I would have missed one of the mandatory classes. I had to wait until the next class cycle started.
The September session started last night with an hour-long orientation. There were 7 people in the orientation with me– five 18-24ish year old females, two 60+ year old guys. I felt a bit out of sorts being the only 30-something there. Other than the members of our training class, there were four volunteers on site manning the phone lines– three 18-24ish year olds, and one 65+ year old female. Other than the orientation leader, I was the only person within 10 years of my age in either direction.
The facilitator explained how the training course would proceed. Next Monday night, our group will attend “Group Screening.” She explained that our performance in the group screening would determine whether or not we were officially asked to join the training program or not. The training begins in earnest on Sept. 20th. She said they were very selective about the people they ask to attending the training and become volunteers, and due to the demographic I saw around me, I do not think my chances are good.
I was not expecting the demographics to skew so young and female, but now that I think about it, it does make perfect sense. College aged kids have free time on their hands. Some are possibly away from home for the first time and are looking for a safe social structure. Volunteering is a great way to do that. Women are by nature more empathetic than men (go on, stone me for stereotyping), thus the lack of college-aged guys in the program. The 60-65+ year olds make sense as well. Some could be freshly retired, wanting to work, but not wanting the pressures of a real job.
And then there is me. A 34 year old male, in the prime of his professional career, a wife and two kids at home. If I was the screeners, I would want to know why someone like me wants to devote time to volunteering rather than being career and family driven.
I hope they give me a chance to answer that question.