Be a Volunteer with Maithri

How many times have we cursed the situation around us, blaming the government, the politicians, the bureaucrats or just our fate? Little do we realize that it is very much within our capability to make a difference with the talents or abilities we have. Welcome to the world of volunteering or voluntary service.

Voluntary service is an exchange between an individual, or a group of individuals and a community. The volunteer or group of volunteers offers time, energy and effort to a project of benefit to a community. In return, the community offers to the volunteer an opportunity for experimentation, learning and personal development. The important point to be noted is that voluntary service is not prompted in any manner by desire for material gain.

Traditionally, the haves have helped the have-nots. In our minds, the ‘have’ and ‘have-not’ relates to material things. Some of us have something that is not material and that all others around us do not have; for instance - time, education, planning skills, empathy, concern for others or even a social consciousness. Volunteering offers us an opportunity to use what we ‘have’ for the benefit of the community around us.

It goes without saying that volunteering has a meaningful and positive impact on the community. At the same time, there are also a number of benefits to the volunteer. Depending on the reasons and the age group of the persons who volunteer, the benefits of volunteering vary. These range from developing skills, to gaining work experience, to building a powerful network. Volunteering may be an outlet for natural talents, a pilot-test for a new career, or simply a handy way to help others. This helping others without expecting gain is a great way to develop one’s self-esteem. 

Volunteers: Maithri’s befriending services are being carried out by volunteers committed to the objective of preventing suicide. Any person having good listening skills and time to spare, and living in the vicinity of the center is welcome to associate him/herself with Maithri.

The must-do for the volunteers: Each volunteer is required to be available at the Maithri center once every week, for four hours at a stretch, to attend to the callers. The duty days are scheduled in advance, enabling the volunteers to plan their availability accordingly. They should also find time to participate in the periodic review, regular training and monthly meetings. These programmes also are pre-planned.

How to become a volunteer in Maithri? Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer in Maithri, may contact the Director who will schedule a personal interaction with the person for familiarizing him/her about the functioning of the organization. (S)he will have to go through a detailed selection procedure and participate in the training programme. The entire selection and training procedure is governed by the practices prescribed by Befrienders Worldwide.

Once a volunteer, always a volunteer? A person selected and trained to be a volunteer in Maithri may continue as long as (s)he enjoys being one, provided that (s)he continues to subscribe to the philosophy of Maithri and operates within the discipline prescribed. Each new volunteer will be placed on a six-month’s probation and be confirmed only after a review of performance. In addition, each volunteer will have to undergo a detailed performance appraisal by the Director once every year. Any volunteer found wanting will be required to improve the level of performance in order to give the best quality service to the callers who reach out to the center. The Director will have the authority to advise the volunteer to attend retraining, take a short break of service, or discontinue permanently.

To be a volunteer, you need to be a good listener who understands how other people feel during their times of crises. You should also be able to spare time on a weekly basis to be present at our Befriending Centre in Kochi. Read "Why I am a Volunteer with Maithri?", by Rajesh who describes his motivations to join Maithri and the satisfaction he draws from being a volunteer. (Download the article in PDF format)

In order to get a feel of how a volunteer's responses towards suicidal or distressed persons result in providing emotional support to them, please read the questionnaire (in Malayalam), available at this web-site. (Download the questionnaire"Befriending Approaches for You" in PDF format)

The nature of  services rendered by volunteers is detailed in Volunteer-Information.  If you wish to apply, and would like to learn more about the selection process or availability and language requirements, please contact us.

If for any reason you cannot become a volunteer, you can still support suicide-prevention activities in Kochi by becoming a Friend of Maithri.

There is no substitute for the feel-good sensation, when we spare a little bit of what we ‘have’ to make our communities a better place. And then, there is the bonus benefit of personal improvement.“It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”