Volunteer Opportunities

Join us in creating safe spaces where parents can share their experiences no matter where they are on their parenting journey.

Our group facilitators do not need to be experts in parenting and will not be working from a curriculum. Facilitators do need to be able to work across differences and demonstrate an aptitude for active listening and navigating group dynamics so that all members feel safe to participate.
We have support groups on many topics and volunteers are welcome to facilitate more than one group.
All facilitators must pass a CORI check.
Our trained volunteers facilitate weekly support groups in the prisons and jails in the Greater Boston Area.
In these settings, our goal is to create a safe space where group members connect to their children no matter where they are on the parenting journey.
Please note that all facilitators must complete the volunteer training at the group facility as well as PHP group training.
All facilitators must pass a CORI check.
Parent Stress Line Counselors respond to calls from parents, childcare providers, grandparents, neighbors, concerned older siblings, foster parents, and babysitters - anybody responsible for taking care of a child.
Over the years, callers want to discuss issues like parental stress, child development, communication, marital issues, runaway children, substance abuse, and depression. In addition to providing empathy and support, the volunteers on the Parent Support Line offer information and referral to relevant parental support services.
All Counselors must pass a CORI check.

What Our Volunteers Are Saying...

“Being a Facilitator, even only for a short time, has really opened my heart up. I have a much greater understanding of and appreciation for others' resilience, empathy, and deep insight. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to share an evening with such an unbelievably open and soulful group of people.”
“Parents come to talk about some of the most personal and difficult problems a family can face. They all help one another and in the process also help themselves. My job as a Facilitator is to make the group a safe place to talk about anything and of course to listen.”
“Volunteering as a Facilitator has given me the opportunity to watch parents grow and make positive changes in their lives and in the lives of their families. Parents quickly learn that they are not the 'only ones' with issues. Tears are often replaced by smiles and laughter and an inner peace replaces anger.”

Frequently Asked Questions

No, while being a parent brings a particular kind of knowledge to the table, it is the passion for helping parents that makes a good volunteer.
For all volunteer positions, we ask that volunteers commit to at least a year of service. For the Parent Stress Line, this means at least one 3 hour shift a week. For a group facilitator, it means facilitating at least one group a week. The amount of time commitment varies depending on where the group takes place.
All volunteers are required to attend a 3 hour virtual orientation and a series of topic training that occur once a month for 3 hours.
* Strong communication skills
* Strong interpersonal skills
* An ability to listen more than talk
* Comfort with online databases
* Comfort using technology
* Computers, Tablets, Cell Phones
Volunteers should be comfortable with smartphone technology and have access to strong internet.
All volunteers must pass a CORI check.
We provide an initial training in our trauma-informed, mutual aid group model where members of the group help one another through a combination of trust, validation, support, and collective wisdom.