Our listeners.
Our Youth Listeners are trained, compassionate individuals from all walks of life who want to offer support.
Our volunteer Youth Listeners are trained, compassionate individuals from all walks of life who want to offer their help and support. Our listeners reside in several corners of the world which helps us eliminate any geographical or linguistic barriers.
All volunteers are passionate individuals who wish to make a difference and stand firm with regard to her advocacy.
Asia
Sophie R / Elly T / Marsha R / Nirali G / Yiyin L / Elly S / Gargie P / Jolene R / Gwenaelle A / Nicole S / Jashan M / Falguni M / Iram S / Charlize C / Alexandra S / Tharoob N / Rachel B / Mikaela N / Rabeea B / Patricia R / Esra K / Jenna H / Alexis L
Africa
Oluwatosin F / Gloria N / Naqiyah I
North America
Angelica S / Rosa P
Australia
Ivy W / Esra K / Jenna H
Europe
Hotri A / Lauren A
New List Item
Description goes here
Volunteer Stories
-
My experience as a volunteer listener at YL has been nothing but fruitful and humbling. Having the opportunity to witness the stories of people who are going through different challenges in their lives has allowed me to become more compassionate, as well as sensitive towards the feelings of others. Not everyone has the luxury of being surrounded by people who could listen to them without judgement, and provide the comfort that they need at the moment. Hence, I am grateful to be one of those people who choose to willingly help such individuals who reach out to platforms like YL as they seek for the help that they yearn for and deserve. Mental health is just as important as physical health, but the stigma surrounding mental health in our society continues to be internalized by many. Fortunately, there are still people out there like the members of the YL community who advocate for mental health, are open-minded, and are always ready to lend their time and empathize with others. Joining YL made me realize that no matter our race, gender, or status in life, we all deserve to be heard and appreciated. Being a volunteer listener at YL does not feel like a responsibility at all, but instead an opportunity to contribute to a change in the lives of others and my own. I'm glad that I was able to stumble upon YL when I needed it the most, and I hope that the people who will get to join this community in the future may also feel the same joy that I felt when I decided to volunteer.
-
Being a listener at YL has taught me patience, understanding and empathy. Sometimes a visitor may just need someone to encourage them and tell them their doing great. To be able to do that and make someone feel better is a privilege. Being a listener at YL is a great opportunity to help others and learn more about mental health. It's okay if you're not a perfect listener. You grow with each case you take, as you learn how to listen and respond better; and address the issues your visitor puts forth.
If you are really interested in listening to other people and making them feel better, YL is the best place to do that.
-
Volunteering at YL gives me an amazing opportunity to help people from all around the world. The environment is awesome although I wasn't able to join the events that was held. I know how it feels like to feel alone and helpless, I've been there too. Therefore, being able to help people who are going through tough times felt more of a blessing rather than an obligation. When the clients leave the counseling session feeling better, it's the most rewarding situation ever.
-
Working as a Youth Listener has been such a rewarding experience, it is so amazing being able to support other young people from all over the world. Particularly when they are going through something, such as Mental Health issues, and have reservations about speaking to those around them due to the stigma that still surrounds Mental Health, especially in certain countries and cultures. We get to help them to see the light, the hope, in any dark situation. I would encourage anyone with an insatiable desire to help people and make a difference to join our team.
-
My decision to join YL has been as is still a life changing decision. I’m so grateful to be part of this amazing community of caring and wonderful people. I’m very proud of my role as a listener here because I know that I’m making someone’s day better through every conversation. It just gives me so much love and hope.
Mental health matters! If you advocate for this too, then YL is the best platform for you to join!
-
Youth Listener has been such a memorable journey since the beginning. Youth Listener provided me the tools to assist others but also learn more about myself. I learn to work with those around me and build rapport with my other fellow listeners. We're able to guide one another and create a support system within the youth listener community. I learn to grow not just as a listener but as a person.
Being with youth Listener has inspired me to give back to my community and our global users. As the pandemic worsens, there are countless of people that need a listening ear. As a listener, I can be that person I wish was there for me when I needed it the most.
-
Melanie remembers what it was like being a teenager locked up in her room, unable to talk to anyone, and she wouldn't want anyone else to go through the same. She would like to help create a safe space where teenagers can talk openly without being shamed or discriminated against. "I think young people are battling the fear of imperfection. Everything is so picture-perfect these days; from Instagram models to the people on their TV screens. The narratives that are being told to them are quite overwhelming. You need perfect grades in order to get into the perfect ivy league school in order to get the perfect job and earn the perfect amount of money.If you decide to drop out you have to be perfect at whatever you are doing in order to live a perfect life. It is a really big problem in our society." Says Melanie
-
The most rewarding thing in the middle of these trying time is being able to offer people around the globe the opportunity to express themselves openly in a safe environment that free of judgment. In a world where we are constantly judged by others, it is nice to have someone who will validate our feelings. And that is what this community is doing to help, listen and understand. To watch those little voices grow bigger and more confident because everyone deserves to feel seen and heard. To participate and provide encouragement during life's challenges, Youth Listener offers the opportunity to reach out to someone and let them know they're not alone. Aside from that I could say that I'm truly lucky and blessed too to be surrounded by understanding and very supportive team inside the community. I couldn't ask for more because we are all learning. That's why if you have the heart for helping and love to see the spark that happens when people find their place, be one of us. :)
-
You never know what someone is going through. Sometimes, all someone needs is a person to be there, a person to understand, a person to listen. YL provided me with an opportunity to be that listening ear to those who need it. Youth Listener allowed me to help people from different cultures and backgrounds. That, in turn, has also helped me grow as a person. I learned to not only be patient with other people, but to be patient with myself. Youth Listener also has such a supportive team of listeners. Each listener is unique and has a different perspective. This has allowed to me learn more from my colleagues and their experiences. I am so lucky to be part of a community which shares the same passion for psychology, mental health, and helping others.
-
Hence, my personal vision was to provide service to those who desperately wants to be listened to in a world that wont stop talking and then I found Youth Listener which coincided so much with my vision and beliefs. I was of course doubtful and skeptical of my capabilities. Will I really be a good listener? Can I really offer comfort to another person? Youth Listener's committee really helped with that as we (the volunteers) were provided with training, guidance, reassurances and constant reminders to put healthy boundaries for our health and safety as well as for the users, which I think is really important because often times individuals with helper/caretaker traits would want to go all the way out to help a person even when they're limited to what they can do and that can put a lot of stress on a person. I'm grateful that I'm a listener in YL, it has allowed me to offer the least thing I could do for someone suffering silently in another part of the world. It comforted them to be listened to in a safe space and it comforted me to be able to provide something to comfort them. YL is a gift to the world indeed.
-
Regardless of what corner of the world we’re in, just a simple ‘Hey, how can I help?’ and ‘I believe that you’ve got the strength to get through this’ can actually make such a big difference. Ultimately, what we all need during a difficult period of time is to be heard so that our minds don’t feel like an overflowing abyss of darkness. It is my absolute pleasure to be a part of a community that is full of supportive, kind, and strong individuals who do their part every day in providing the kind of safe space for people who wish to reach out, that tries to shed some light into what may feel like their own abyss. We try, every day, to make a difference, and I believe that with every conversation each of us have, we make the sun shine even at random hours of the night!
-
This is especially important during this time because of the pandemic and high cost of healthcare/therapy. I love being a part of this initiative that resonates with my values around mental health. You learn how to be the best support you can for that individual and the feeling is so rewarding. Being able to make someone feel better, if only for that moment, is all the difference for that person. I've learned so much from each conversation I've had so far, and the listeners are the most supportive humans I've ever been around! I have a team that carries the same passion for helping people and it is everything I imagined it would be. I love this community and I encourage others to join for this once in a lifetime experience :)
-
As a teenager, Marsha followed a wayward path for a while and got into many difficulties. Having now turned her life around, she is perfectly equipped to help guide other youngsters through their struggles, and always with a warm and friendly ear and without judgement
Youth Listener community
As a Youth Listener you’ll be a member of our community. As well as being a vital support system for
teenagers, your Youth Listener peers will be your personal support network with whom you can talk.
-
Connect with like minded people
By becoming a Youth Listener you’re connecting with a powerful collective of likeminded individuals who share a common goal of reducing distress in teenagers’ lives.
-
Monthly virtual conferences
We host once-per-month conferences for Youth Listeners around the world. These conferences serve to connect members of the Youth Listener community and provide the opportunity to share thoughts about mental health and other related topics.
-
Workshops & webinars
To ensure confidence and competency among our Youth Listeners, we offer occasional workshops/webinars that cover topics such as: active listening, empathy, de-escalation, crisis prevention, etc. These training serve to keep our Youth Listeners up-to-date on current methodologies.
-
Personal Mentor
By becoming a Youth Listener you’re connecting with a powerful collective of likeminded individuals who share a common goal of reducing distress in teenagers’ lives.