Mission: The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) National Help Center provides vital peer-support, community connections and resource information to people with questions regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Utilizing a diverse group of GLBT volunteers, we operate three national hotlines, the GLBT National Hotline, the GLBT National Youth Talkline, and the SAGE LGBT Elder Hotline as well as private, volunteer one-to-one online chat, that helps both youth and adults with coming-out issues, safer-sex information, school bullying, family concerns, relationship problems and a lot more. We also maintain the largest collection of resources for the GLBT community in the United States, with 15,000 local resources for cities and towns across the country. The people who turn to us for help often live in rural and conservative parts of the country and are frequently feeling severely isolated, closeted and despairing, with literally no one else else safe to talk to. We provide a safe environment on the phone or internet for people of all ages to discuss issues that they don't feel comfortable talking about anywhere else.
Website: http://www.glbthotline.org/volunteer.html
Volunteer form: http://www.glbthotline.org/hotline-application.html
Email: aaron@glbthotline.org
Phone: 415-355-0003
What volunteers do:
- Staff the GLBT hotlines. Note: Hotline volunteers are expected to commit to a hotline shift 2 to 2.5 hours/week at the same time each week for a minimum of six months.
- Other duties as needed.
FYI:
- Hotline volunteers must identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer, and must complete a training before staffing the hotline.
- Based in California, but volunteering can be done remotely.
Mission: Founded in 1983, DC PFLAG, a non profit, non-partisan, volunteer organization, provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity. Promoting pride and ending discrimination is the goal of PFLAG. Our family values stress education, understanding, acceptance, and support, but most of all love, thereby empowering our children — straight and gay — to lead happy and productive lives. Metro DC PLAG promotes the equality and well being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons, their families and friends through: Support to cope with an adverse society; Education to enlighten an ill-informed public; Advocacy to end discrimination and secure equal civil rights.
Website/volunteer form: http://pflagdc.org/engage/be-a-volunteer/
Email: info@pflagdc.org
Phone: (202) 638-3852
What volunteers do:
- Contribute to community support groups, speaker's bureau programming, and legislative advocacy.
- Provide administration and office help.
- Help coordinate events & fundraising.
- Conduct outreach to communities, faith organizations, and schools.
Mission: Trans Lifeline works to end transgender suicide and improve overall mental health of transgender people through education, advocacy, and direct service. We empower trans people to help one another, and to shape our collective efforts by drawing upon our wealth of individual experiences.
Website: https://www.translifeline.org/help
Email: volunteer@translifeline.org
Phone: (415) 483-5361
What volunteers do:
- Staff the hotline.
- Assist with fundraising, grant writing, tech support, organizational/admin support.
- Train and support hotline operators.
FYI:
- Hotline volunteers must be trans, over 18, and able to complete training course.
- Based in California, but volunteering can be done remotely.
Mission: The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24. The organization works to fulfill this mission through four strategies: 1. Provide crisis counseling to LGBTQ young people thinking of suicide. 2. Offer resources, supportive counseling and a sense of community to LGBTQ young people to reduce the risk that they become suicidal. 3. Educate young people and adults who interact with young people on LGTBQ-competent suicide prevention, risk detection and response. 4. Advocate for laws and policies that will reduce suicide among LGBTQ young people.
National Website: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
DC Website: http://cities.thetrevorproject.org/washington-dc/
DC Volunteer form: http://cities.thetrevorproject.org/washington-dc/#get-involved
National Volunteer info: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/volunteer
Email: siobhan.mangal@thetrevorproject.org
Phone: n/a
What volunteers do:
For the national Trevor Project:
- Help staff the instant-messaging crisis hotline.
For the DC Ambassadors of the Trevor Project group:
- Run tables at events.
- Help fundraise.
- Research community partnerships and plan events.
FYI:
To volunteer on the national TrevorChat, you must first:
- Attend Orientation, where you learn more details about the organization, volunteer opportunities and what will be the best fit for you. *Please note: You must be at least 18 years old to volunteer. If you are under 18 please consider our Trevor Youth Advisory Council.
- Submit an application
- Interview
- Get a background check
- Complete training
- Volunteer!