Lives are at stake in male family violence telephone counselling. It is imperative that all of our telephone counsellors are adequately prepared to respond to callers in ways that are safe and ethical.

In 1997 No To Violence and Swinburne University of Technology jointly developed and now deliver a Graduate Certificate in Social Science (Male Family Violence - Telephone Counselling). Our efforts in this regard have been recognised by awards at international and national levels.

All prospective telephone counsellors are required to complete this training, although some may choose not to undertake the final assessment. Trainees in this course come from many different backgrounds including trades and professions. A number have little or no recent or formal education.

The Graduate Certificate requires a large commitment of trainees' time over the period of the training program. We ask all prospective volunteers to seriously consider their ability to commit to the training program and volunteer responsibilities before applying.

The first part of the training program involves: 

• 5 full day sessions (held on Saturdays) at various stages in the course 
• 13 three-hour sessions (usually held on Thursday nights)

The training also includes practical work that you complete outside these hours: 

• practice calls (these are taped)
• visits to family violence agencies 
• shifts observing telephone counsellors at work.

When a trainee has completed this part of the Graduate Certificate, they are assessed for a number of basic competencies. They need to demonstrate that they have achieved all of these before they may start working on the phones.

The second part of the Graduate Certificate program consists of 70 hours spent staffing the Men's Referral Service phone line. It also includes further visits to agencies, a family violence court and a men’s behaviour change group, and several peer supervision sessions.

When trainees have completed all of the work associated with the program, they are assessed again to see that they have developed all of the competencies required for the Graduate Certificate. If so, they are then be eligible to receive an accredited Graduate Certificate in Social Science (Male Family Violence - Telephone Counselling).

Most telephone counsellors continue to volunteer after they have received their Graduate Certificate.