With the growing need for telephone counselling services throughout the Waikato region, LifeLine Waikato is seeking additional volunteers to take on training as phone counsellors.
LifeLine Waikato is also offering training to those who don't necessarily want to become phone counsellors, but who are interested in obtaining counselling knowledge for personal or professional reasons.
A trainee-counsellor selection day is to be held by the service in Hamilton on March 4.
Shelley Walker, director of LifeLine Waikato, says the service has 60 counsellors but at least another 15 are needed to cater to the expanding need from members of the public from throughout the central North Island.
"The training covers 54 hours spread over 10 weeks, in Hamilton, and those seeking to become counsellors do not necessarily need to have previous counselling knowledge or a social services background," she says. "We need people who are empathetic to others, are understanding and non-judgmental."