HELPLINE

The Family Drug Helpline is a 24 hour service offering support, information strategies for change and referral to anyone affected by another's alcohol or other drug misuse. People calling the Helpline may be concerned about a relative, friend, workmate or neighbour. The drug of concern may be alcohol, an illegal substance, or a prescription drug.

The helpline is provided through a partnership between Family Druy Help and Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Service to ensure a responsive 24 hour service.

The Helpline is staffed by trained Peer Support Volunteers from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Calls outside these hours are normally answered by professional staff at Turning Point Directline telephone support service. All Peer Support Volunteers have personal experience of a family members misuse of alcohol or other drugs within their family or friendship group. We believe that this experience gives Peer Support Volunteers an understanding of the needs of others who share this experience.

The Helpline Volunteers aim to:

• give people the opportunity to talk to someone who has personal experience of alcohol or other drug use within their own family or friendship group.
• offer empathy and non-judgemental support to people affected by another's alcohol or other drug use.
• provide accurate information about alcohol and other drugs and their effects.
• provide information on ways of coping, dealing with conflict, and ways of improving communication.
• help reduce the isolation and stigma often associated with alcohol and other drug use.
• respect and value differences between individuals and recognise that there is no one "right way". Volunteers aim to empower people to find ways of coping that work for them.
• refer callers to other services, such as support groups, parenting programs, and counselling services.

Phone : 9573 1780 (Melbourne only) 1300 660 068 (country&after hours)
To talk to a Peer Support Volunteer phone between 9am to 5pm,
Monday to Friday.

Peer Support Volunteers staff the Family Drug Helpline in collaboration with professional alcohol and other drug counsellors. All the Peer Support Volunteers have personal experience of alcohol and other drug use within their own family or friendship group. This experience gives Peer Support Volunteers an understanding of the needs of others who share this experience.

THE ROLE OF THE PEER SUPPORT VOLUNTEER

The Peer Support Volunteers:

• Provide accurate information on drugs and their effects.
• Provide referrals to a range of services for families and individuals affected by alcohol or other drug.
• Offer empathy and supportive listening to all callers.
• Are committed to responding non-judgementally to individuals from a wide cross-section of the community.
• Assist callers to explore and develop their own strengths and capacities for coping.
• Help callers develop strategies for change.
• Respect the right of callers to make their own choices.
• Assist each caller to identify possible courses of action and to explore the possible consequences of their choices and actions.
• Aim to enhance each caller's ability to nurture themselves.

Peer Support Volunteering involves:

• Working a minimum of one 4-hour shift a fortnight.
• Participating in ongoing training.
• Participating in regular individual and group supervision sessions.

PEER SUPPORT TRAINING  For next training program ring the Helpline for detail

Volunteers complete an Induction Training Program and participate in regular developmental training sessions/workshops.

1) Induction Training

All Peer Support Volunteers complete a training program. The training program runs for 50 hours over 5 weeks and focuses on the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to assist callers. Training workshops run either during the week (day time) or in the evenings.

The training covers:

• Listening skills and key counselling skills.
• Alcohol and other Drugs and their effects on the human body.
• The experience of drug dependence.
• The stages of change in drug dependence and recovery.
• Services that provide withdrawal and rehabilitation.
• Stages of change for families affected by drug use.
• Anger management and dealing with conflict.
• Family violence awareness.
  
• Effective communication skills.
• Mental health issues and dual diagnosis.
• Dealing with crisis calls.
• Peer Support Volunteer self-care.

2) Ongoing Training and Personal Development

Ongoing training is developed in consultation with Peer Support Volunteers to ensure that it is responsive and relevant to callers' concerns. The ongoing training includes regular meetings of volunteers and supervisors to discuss issues raised by callers to the Helpline, volunteers' responses to the issues raised, workshops and seminars on specific topics, and personal development opportunities. Topics to date include:

• Creative writing workshops
• Responding to the media
• Managing conflict
• Suicide and self harm.

Family Drug Help recognises that each volunteer brings a wealth of lived experience to the peer support role. FDH aims to support each volunteer in their unique and personal journey of developing the volunteer role. Working on the Helpline is challenging and stimulating, and many Peer Support Volunteers find that their work gives them opportunities to extend themselves - to learn new skills and to discover new ways of understanding themselves and others that enrich all facets of life. Many have found that helping others enables them to derive something positive from experiences that have been a source of pain, grief, shame and fear. Many enjoy a sense of empowerment from being able to give to others some of the support they have received themselves.

Quotes from Peer Support Volunteers:

'What being a Peer Support Volunteer Means to Me'
A friend and I were talking about money, and her comment was, "It's a pity you don't get paid for your work on the Helpline".

As I thought about this statement, I realised that I received something far more valuable than money.

Working as a volunteer on the Family Drug Helpline has brought a new sense of purpose into my life. I no longer experience a sense of powerlessness. Of course, things do not always turn out the way I want them to, yet I know deep within myself that I am making a contribution. I believe my contribution is helping to alleviate a little of the suffering that families and loved ones of those with drug problems experience. I also benefit personally. I have learned much about drug addiction; I get to work in a happy, non-judgemental environment, with people who understand the difficulties of caring for someone with a drug problem. I have also been given the opportunity to learn creative writing skills, and to brush up on my people skills. I think this is a "bag of goodies" to take home. - Tricia

If you would like more information about becoming a Peer Support Volunteer:

Click here to email the Manager of Family Drug Help.

Click here to download an application form.