Volunteer

Volunteering

Are you thinking of volunteering with the Arkansas Crisis Center? We’re glad, because we can’t accomplish our mission, vision or help the state of Arkansas without you.

The Arkansas Crisis Center started as a volunteer-run organization, and although we have a handful of core staff now, the overwhelming majority of the work we do to reduce crises in the lives of Arkansans is done by volunteers. We always need more people who believe in the work we do to prevent suicide, reduce stigma, intervene in crises and bring awareness to the state of Arkansas.

Our volunteers are sensitive, compassionate, nonjudgmental individuals who get a great sense of personal satisfaction in being part of a collaborative team of people who are devoted to the cause of helping others and intervening in crises. They are responsible, passionate, and committed. They are a diverse mix of every age, culture and background, yet they have one thing in common – a desire to help Arkansans in crisis.

Qualifications and training vary by position. We currently have two ways you can get involved in our cause:

Communication Volunteers

These crucial volunteers provide support and immediate response to those who are in crisis or experiencing trauma, are feeling self-destructive or suicidal or who just need help getting through a difficult time. Communication Volunteers answer our helpline.

Each volunteer is expected to work one four-hour shift per week. These shifts can be performed at home using our phone system. Volunteers chosen for this work participate in roughly forty hours of training, learning how to listen actively, provide support for people in crisis and prevent suicide.

Additionally, Communication Volunteers attend monthly continuing education training. ACC staff members are in place to provide support and backup for our Communication Volunteers whenever they need it.

Connection Volunteers

These volunteers assist in planning and conducting outreach activities and programs to reduce stigma. Additionally, the Arkansas Crisis Center’s fundraising events are staffed in large part by dedicated Connection Volunteers. These volunteers are essential to our existence and growth.

  • The Arkansas Crisis Center welcomes the participation of volunteers who support our mission and want to make a difference! To begin your volunteer application process, please complete this form which might take a few minutes. Information gathered on this form and throughout the application and training process will be kept confidential within the ACC.
  • Anything else you'd like to discuss?
  • Occasionally our newsletter will end up in your spam box. You can prevent the email from going to spam by adding @arcrisis.org to your email contacts.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Want More Information?


Our volunteers can live anywhere in Arkansas. We are especially interested in volunteers who may be bilingual or have military experience. For more information, contact:

Illeah Marcum
Crisis Services Program Manager
479-365-2141

imarcum@arcrisis.org

Hours of Operation:
24 Hours 7 Days a week

Helpline:
988
If you are in immediate danger, please dial 9-1-1.

Being a part of the Arkansas Crisis Center allows me to extend a needed helping hand to a soul in crisis. I find it very fulfilling to help a troubled person find a way of coping with their unique problem or rediscover their own worth.

– Tom Batie

With the Arkansas Crisis Center, I am able to talk anonymously with people who are experiencing a crisis and attempt to help them talk through their difficult situations. I discovered that there are many people in Arkansas and surrounding areas who are hurting and feel that they have no control over their lives. Everyone who calls has a different story to tell, and being able to offer my time and attention to listen to their story and validate their feelings can make a difference to someone in need, maybe the difference between life and death.

– Paige Plumley