What you will do:

• Attend induction and ongoing training as required
• Hold regular peer support conversations (typically 45–60 min)
• Maintain session notes using the provided template
• Attend monthly peer supervision sessions
• Refer to professional services when appropriate
• Report mandatory reporting situations to Nina Iouguina immediately

What you will NOT do:

• Provide legal, financial, or medical advice
• Share personal contact details with participants
• Meet participants at private residences
• Make decisions on behalf of a participant
• Manage clinical risk alone

• Safety — every aspect of your interaction prioritises the participant’s physical and emotional safety.
• Trustworthiness — you do what you say. Keep appointments. Maintain confidentiality. Be consistent.
• Choice — the participant leads. You offer options, never push. “What would be most helpful for you right now?”
• Collaboration — you are alongside her, not above her. You don’t have the answers — you hold the space for her to find her own.
• Empowerment — help her trust her own instincts, not become dependent on yours.

Do:

• Reflect back: “It sounds like that was incredibly difficult…”
• Validate: “Your reaction makes complete sense given what happened.”
• Ask open questions: “What was that like for you?”
• Sit with silence — not every pause needs to be filled.

Avoid:

• “You should…”, “Have you tried…”, “At least…”
• “I know exactly how you feel”
• Rushing to solutions or reassurances

Supporting people in pain can affect you. This is called vicarious trauma — it is a sign of care, not weakness.

Signs to watch for:

• Difficulty sleeping or intrusive thoughts after sessions
• Feeling emotionally numb or over-identifying with a participant
• Finding it hard to “switch off” after sessions

Everything a participant shares is strictly confidential. You do not share her name, story, or circumstances with anyone outside the We Listen team.

• Use the Prima Nota communication channel — not your personal number
• Meet in safe, public locations or online
• Keep sessions to the agreed time — extensions set expectations
• Share your lived experience purposefully — don’t make the session about your story
• Tell the coordinator when you are struggling — do not manage it alone

All We Listen volunteers must hold a current Working With Children Check (WWCC) issued in South Australia before beginning sessions.

• Apply at: screening.sa.gov.au
• Provide your clearance number to Nina before your first session
• WWCC must be renewed every 5 years

• Before Day 1Read this guide • Complete WWCC • Sign the Assignment Agreement
• Day 1Induction session with Nina • Complete Induction Checklist • Meet buddy volunteer
• Week 1–2First supervised session (if possible) • Familiarise with crisis referral contacts
• Month 1First peer supervision session • Debrief with coordinator • Feedback survey
• Month 3Formal review • Renew Assignment Agreement if continuing