Make a difference.

After completing a 40-hour training over the course of 8 weeks, volunteers must commit to a weekly 3-hour shift for a minimum of one year.

To volunteer at Trevor, you’ll need the right technology. Security, privacy, sound quality, and a strong internet connection are all key elements to providing a safe and supportive experience for the young people you will be supporting. Counselors will be using multiple platforms on shift, and it is important that applicants are comfortable multitasking across different systems.

Please read below for more information on technology requirements for Volunteer Crisis Counselors.

To become a TrevorChat/TrevorLifeline volunteer, you must have:

A personal laptop or desktop computer with a minimum of 8GB of RAM – no tablets, iPads, mobile phones, public computers, or computers issued by your employer.

• Please note that Chromebooks and Chromeboxes most often do not have enough RAM to meet these requirements.

 

An up-to-date operating system supported by Apple, Microsoft, or Linux

• For Apple computers this is MacOS Sonoma, Ventura or, Monterey
• For PCs this is Windows 10 or Windows 11
• If needed, here’s how to update your operating system for Macs and PCs

 

The Chrome web browser version 100 or higher installed on your computer, not Safari, Edge or Chromium.

• Need to download Chrome? Click here

 

A secure, private high-speed internet connection – unsecured public networks like hotels, restaurants, or coffee shops can’t be used.

• A minimum of 10 Mbps download speed, 5 Mbps upload speed: Check your download and upload speeds here
• Fast page load times, measured by an Octane score of over 30,000: Check your Octane score by clicking “Start Octane” here

 

A private space to work

Read more about all of our technology requirements here.

Our online training consists of 40+ hours of combined lesson and practice content, with self-paced modules covering counseling skills, LGBTQ+ identities, our Support Model (the framework for all conversations on our crisis services platform), and relevant policies, procedures, and protocols to prepare prospective volunteers to speak with youth in crisis. Trainees will also complete a number of scheduled role-plays to apply this training material and prepare for interactions with the young people and others who reach out to our service. If trainees complete their modules and pass their evaluated roleplays, they will move on to New Counselor Shifts (NCS). NCS are a counselor’s first, highly-monitored, conversations with real contacts, during which counselors receive extra support and feedback. Trainees who complete the counselor training program and adhere to Trevor’s Support Model are moved forward to become active counselors.

Much of the training can be done at your own pace and convenience.Trainees are expected to spend around 5 hours each week to meet weekly training requirements that include the completion of training modules, practice activities, and assessments, designed to reinforce the knowledge taught in the training modules. Additionally, trainees will sign up for role-plays on specific dates and times over the course of the training, where they will apply attitudes and skills taught in training to practice scenarios. Learners who do not pass a given role-play will take an enrichment role-play the following week for additional practice. Role-play scheduling slots are available between 9:00 am ET – 9:00 pm ET most days, including weekends. While you can complete your modules on your own time, roleplays will only take place during the 9:00 am ET – 9:00 pm ET time range, and will require scheduling in advance. Role-plays may take place at different times than when your actual counselor shifts will take place once you complete training. If you anticipate that you will be on vacation or unavailable for more than a week during training or 3 months after training, please contact your Volunteer Recruiter to confirm if your start date is right for you.

The Trevor Project runs 24/7 crisis services for LGBTQ+ young people. This means that volunteer shifts happen all day and all night. Upon graduation from training, volunteers work with our team to be placed onto 3-hour shifts that align with their schedule and our most pressing needs.

The Trevor Project has policies to manage shift cancellations and substitutions as they are needed. However, we limit the number of shift cancellations volunteers can take, and ask that volunteers plan ahead to ensure they are generally available for shifts. The Trevor Project requires a full-year commitment for crisis services (Chat/Text/Lifeline) volunteers and generally does not accept applicants who will be outside the country for an extended period of time.

All of our volunteer opportunities are remote. Volunteers may work from anywhere in the United States (50 states and the District of Columbia), as long as they have access to a personal desktop or laptop computer, a consistent and stable server, a private and secure internet connection and a private space to respond to young people. Please note that volunteers are not able to use a school or work laptop or a public wifi connection during their volunteer shifts. At this time we are only able to have volunteers fulfill their shifts while in the United States (50 states and the District of the Columbia only) due to our background check requirements and security protocols that ensure the safety of our youth.

During training you will have support from a Training Coordinator who will support you through role-plays, provide feedback, and answer questions throughout your journey. During New Counselor Shifts, you will be monitored by a Digital or Lifeline Supervisor for your first conversations with youth. Office hours are available for volunteers interested in one-on-one support and volunteers who would like to process difficult conversations that may arise during their shift.

Yes! Our trainees undergo a 40-hour virtual training to prepare them extensively for the many potential scenarios that may emerge in conversations with LGBTQ youth in crisis.

If you are interested in volunteering with The Trevor Project to gain hours for field placement or practicum, please Contact Us and select “University Practicum” on the form.  

If you are a representative from a university looking to build a field placement or practicum partnership with The Trevor Project for students in your program, please Contact Us and select “University Practicum” on the form to schedule an exploratory conversation.

If you are looking for a paid position at Trevor, you can explore those on our Careers page.

For standard volunteers, we are able to provide a letter of service documenting volunteer hours to active volunteers who have successfully graduated from training. These are an approximation based on a volunteer’s schedule. We also can provide a standard letter of recommendation after six months of service, which does not speak to individual performance. Both of these should be requested at least three weeks in advance. Unfortunately, due to the volume of our volunteer base, we are not able to complete specific forms for school or court for standard volunteers at this time, unless you are part of a pre-approved clinical placement or practicum program with Trevor.

If you are volunteering with The Trevor Project as part of an official clinical placement or practicum partnership, your hours will be verified as part of this program. If you need verified volunteer hours as part of a course or degree requirement, please Contact Us about University Practicum before you start volunteering.

At this time, our only volunteer opportunities are with our TrevorChat/TrevorText and TrevorLifeline programs.

Please use our Contact Us page to connect with our corporate development team, who will be able to work with you to see how your team can best support our life-saving work.

• Email Sign-Up: Keep up-to-date with what’s happening at Trevor like our newest research findings, advocacy work, and stories from LGBTQ+ young people. You’ll be added to Trevor’s email list for monthly newsletters as well as outreach for other ways you can support Trevor.
• Sign up to be a Trevor Advocate: Trevor’s Advocacy and Government Affairs Team works to protect and support LGBTQ+ young people by improving access to affirming crisis care and support systems, while working to prevent and strike down harmful policies that stigmatize LGBTQ+ young people for who they are. You will receive alerts from our team so we can quickly let you know when we need you as an individual (and not a Trevor representative) to take action in your state to protect our young people.
• Host a Fundraiser: Raise awareness and funds by rallying your community to support The Trevor Project. Set a goal, fundraise as a team, and show up for LGBTQ+ young people together.
• Donate: Your gift will help Trevor continue to provide our 24/7 suicide prevention and crisis intervention services as well as deepen our research and advocacy efforts.
• Become a Corporate Partner: Partner with The Trevor Project through your company to support our life-saving work, upskill your employees, engage with your ERGs, and increase our collective impact.
• Continue Learning: Visit Trevor’s resource hub to continue learning about how to support LGBTQ+ young people in your daily life. You can also explore public education sessions hosted by Trevor to learn how to be an ally to LGBTQ+ young people.

Due to the volume of applications we receive each day, we are unable to provide updates on any individual application outside of confirming it was received. It can take several months from the time of submission for an application to be reviewed. Once you submit your application, no further action is needed from you. When we have reviewed your application, our Volunteer Recruitment team will notify you of our decision.