The following details the general roles for a volunteer Listener on Removing Chains live chat upport. As a Removing Chains helper you are treasured by us. We are grateful for the commitment to help people become strong survivors. We know this can be an equally valuable experience for you as it is for those you reach out to on our site. We are excited to have you consider joining us!
General Roles
Requirements
Suicide or Active Child Abuse
Listeners Help us Raise Funds
Cautions for Listeners
Monitor Guest Chat & Welcome Rooms
In general the role of a Listener on Removing Chains survivor support site includes;
Requirements to be a Listener on Removing Chains;
If a person says they are suicidal try to calm them by all means available. Get assistance from another Listener, Mentor or Coach as well. Share with the person the crisis hotline numbers under the resources tab for victim services in the countries we serve more regularly. Encourage them to call if they are not calming down and contact Blair or another Coach by all means possible. If we have to contact authorities to save their life, we will.
If a young person says they are current victims of child abuse, child trafficking or another form of physical harm contact a Coach by all means possible. Include details in a report to us as well.
Removing Chains volunteers help us raise funds for the site via Crowdrise
A "Listener" for Removing Chains is loosely defined as a person who helps survivors find support, break their silence and reach goals that will hopefully free them to thrive. Of course we do things such as to help room discussions flow, but especially we help individuals open up about their problems or whatever their reason for using the site. Listeners, Mentors and most of the Coaches on Removing Chains guide and listen but we do NOT take the place of professional psychologists, counselors or therapists. While some of our Coaches may be professional therapists, we will work to guide survivors in need towards professionals who can help them in the psychology and legal fields.
If a survivor says they are suicidal try to calm them by all means available. We do have crisis hotline numbers under the resources tab for victim services in the countries we serve more regularly. Urge them to contact any of those numbers, including getting the number for them. If suicidal talk persists we will have to contact the authorities. This is for the person's protection, even if from themselves. This is NOT action taken AGAINST anyone, but FOR their well-being. If someone says they are suicidal contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if no Mentors or Coaches are online to help at the moment.
Be aware of your own limitations strengths and weaknesses - If someone starts getting into something you do not feel prepared to deal with, please say so. Especially if what they are sharing feels overly uncomfortable for you read. You do NOT have to listen to everything! If you get uncomfortable, say so and suggest that you will assist them in finding a different helper.
It's OK to say, "I can't right now" - Sometimes we all have bad days or our own big problem. This especially applies if you have been the victim of anything yourself and you are still dealing with it. Sometimes we all need support or maybe feel we have nothing left to "give" at the moment. Any time this is the case for you PLEASE do not skip coming to Removing Chains, but rather come and let your own needs be known.
You are NOT some survivors new pet - You do not need to let them take all of your time on Removing Chains. This is actually a healthy boundary for them to learn. As a Listener you still want relationships, and may have some of your own issues you need to talk with others about. If someone is taking all of your time every day PLEASE let us know. We will help you deal with it gently. Please do not let something like that be the cause for you to stop coming to Removing Chains.
Monitor Guest & Welcome Chat Rooms
We now have a Guest chat for site visitors that have not registered yet! This allows them to check it out first. Please also monitor, or hang out in the Guest Room as well as the Welcome Lobby. We do not want serious things discussed in the Guest Room as the public can view what has been discussed in it. As soon as guests are comfortable encourage them to register so they will be able to join any of the rooms and share more personally once they are logged in.
Of course, just like in the other rooms, the Guest Room will allow for private chat. So if they are in need and unwilling to join the site yet, invite them to private chat first. Also you are not expected to monitor these rooms if you are involved in a serious public or private discussion about someone's needs. Of course we can always tab back and forth between these public and private chats but please do not over burden yourself. Know your limits!
Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life ~J K Rowling
Ark of Hope says, Let right here, right now, be your rock bottom. If you're a survivor, refuse to give them one more piece of yourself. Thousands of other survivors stand with you!