Volunteering with StarVista is an excellent opportunity to learn more about yourself and receive valuable training while making an important contribution to your Community. As a non profit organization, StarVista depends on thousands of hours of volunteer work each year to serve our clients. All volunteer positions receive training and ongoing support from StarVista staff.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
STARVISTA AMBASSADOR
Ambassadors help us educate and inspire people in our community by sharing our mission and impact. To learn more, contact amanda.peters@star-vista.org.
CRISIS CENTER HOTLINE VOLUNTEERS
StarVista’s Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Center offers counseling, support and referrals to callers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Crisis Line volunteers may take calls from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Parent Support Line, and the Drug and Alcohol Helpline.
Volunteers take calls from individuals dealing with issues that include: family stress, relationships, suicide, substance abuse, and mental illness. Counselors are fully trained by our professional staff before they volunteer.
Crisis Hotline Volunteers must be 21+ years old to volunteer.
Notice
Winter 2021 Volunteer Training Program is at full capacity. Applications submitted starting January 2021 will be for the Summer 2021 Volunteer Training Program. *Prospective volunteers must be from San Mateo County or the surrounding counties to be eligible to volunteer.
YOUTH PEER COUNSELORS
Our online teen chat service is part of a project established by StarVista’s Crisis Center to offer support and information to young people through the website www.onyourmind.net. Peer counselors are responsible for facilitating live chat sessions with youth during after school hours. Peer counselors provide youth support around mental health related topics, first-stage crisis intervention, and referrals in the community. For information on how to become a peer counselor, please visit www.onyourmind.net.
Youth Volunteers must be between 14-18 years of age to volunteer.
TEEN CHAT SUPERVISOR
Volunteer Teen Chat Supervisors are an integral part of StarVista’s Teen Chat program, www.onyourmind.net. They offer mentorship and supervision to the Volunteer Teen Chat Peer Counselors. They are responsible for providing verbal and emotional support to the volunteers chatting with site visitors; upholding the StarVista Teen Chat values, policies and procedures; and safety and well-being the volunteers during their shift. They also must be capable of aiding chatters themselves by providing emotional support, information, resources, crisis assessment, safety planning, and referrals as needed. Volunteer Teen Chat Supervisors are overseen by the Teen Chat Coordinator.
Teen Chat Supervisor volunteers must be between 18-21 years of age to volunteer.