PSI would not exist without the dedication and caring of its volunteers! There are many ways to help and volunteer with PSI, and we would love to have you join us!
Helpline
HelpLine Volunteers serve as the bridge between the families who need support during perinatal mental health disorders and our volunteer Support Coordinators and other local and international resources.
PSI has two teams of HelpLine volunteers – English and Spanish – that respond to calls and texts from moms, dads, grandparents, and others, seven days a week. PSI provides training and support for all of our volunteers.
English HelpLine Volunteers are responsible for one weekly 3-hour shift. During your shift, you will answer texts and/or return voicemails and provide a listening ear, reassurance, and information to our help seekers, along with connecting them with a local PSI volunteer Support Coordinator. You will need access to a tablet or desktop computer during your shift in order to access the software and phone system used by the PSI HelpLine. Looking for applicants with lived experience (1 year post recovery).
Once you have completed the application (links below), we will keep your information on file and will contact you prior to our next training session. If you have any questions, please contact PSI’s HelpLine Manager, Tunisia Evans, at helpline@postpartum.net. We look forward to supporting you in your desire to volunteer with the families we serve.
Thank you so much!
Apply here (English)
Aplicar Aquí (Español)
Support Coordinators
Support Coordinators serve as the bridge between resources and families who need support when facing perinatal mental health disorders. The assistance they provide can help completely change the path of a struggling parent’s healing journey. Click here for more information.
As a PSI Support Coordinator, responsibilities include:
- provide education, empathy, and resource referrals to those who reach out for help in your area.
- make contact, within 24 hours, with help seekers who reach out.
- provide help seekers with at least two resource referrals (when possible).
- become familiar with local resources to provide the best referrals for those seeking assistance.
- utilize our database, iCarol, to ensure timely responses and coordinated help.
We are currently recruiting for coordinators all over the US and Canada, with specific needs in the following areas:
Specializations: Dads/Fathers, Coast Guard, Deaf/Hard of Hearing Parents, Insomnia, Substance Use/Misuse, Parents of Advanced Age
Locations: all over the US and Canada, but higher need for volunteers in: California (Bay Area), Colorado, Georgia (Atlanta), Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Wisconsin (Madison) and Canada (the central and northern provinces).
Languages: Mandarin, French, Haitian Creole, Japanese and more.
Apply to be a Coordinator in the US or Canada
Apply to be an International Coordinator (English)
Apply to be an International Coordinator (Spanish)
International Support Listings
Peer Mentor Program
The Peer Mentor Program pairs moms, as well as dads, in need of support with a trained volunteer who has also experienced and fully recovered from a Perinatal Mental Health Disorder (PMHDs). Establishing a one-to-one connection with someone who has journeyed through a PMHD offers invaluable insight, encouragement, and hope.
Through weekly communication over the course of six-months our Peers and Mentors build a strong relationship that removes isolation, provides education, and breaks down stigma. Peers and Mentors are thoughtfully matched. Perinatal experiences, family context and other individual nuances are all considered to create a safe peer-to-peer environment that fosters trust, support, and connection.
For details click here. If you have any questions about the program, please reach out to Jessica Schultz at peermentor@postpartum.net.
If you’ve fully recovered from your PMHD (recovered for at least one year) and would like to join us as a Mentor, please fill out the application below.
Currently recruiting mentors and there is a specific need for mentors with lived experience specific to LBGTQI, pregnancy loss, termination, BIPOC, teen parents, partners, dads
Online Support Group Facilitator
Postpartum Support International considers volunteer support group facilitators on an ongoing basis and based on need. We encourage people with the following qualifications and experiences to apply:
Can commit to a minimum of one year of volunteering.
Can attend approximately 3 hours of observing and 2 hours of initial training.
Can volunteer a minimum of once a month to facilitate groups that are 90 minutes in duration.
Has a stable and reliable internet connection
Is at least a year post-recovery from a PMHD
Has lived/personal experience with one or more of our support group topics. You can find a complete list of our groups here. (https://www.postpartum.net/get-help/psi-online-support-meetings/) OR is a licensed healthcare professional who has special training in PMHDs or a related area. The PSI 2-Day Components of Care would meet this requirement as well.
For questions, please reach out to the Support Groups Program Manager, Megan Roberts, at groups@postpartum.net.
Apply to be a Support Group Facilitator
State Chapters
PSI State Chapters are often looking for new board members, or individuals to become members at local the local level. PSI State Chapters advance the mission of PSI on the state level and help to build systems that support families while also increasing access to education and treatment for perinatal mental health.
Chapter leaders work to raise awareness, create resources, and advocate for change. Several State Chapters are currently recruiting board members, shown below, or click here to visit your local chapter page.
Climb out of the Darkness
The Climb is a community walk and international fundraiser for survivors, providers, and members of the community to come together.
Raising awareness for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, The Climb brings our community together to shine a light on a darkness we often don’t speak about. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are the most common complication of childbearing.
For information about the Climb out of the Darkness, please click here.
To receive information about becoming a Climb Leader for 2023, please click here.
Additional Volunteer Roles
In addition to the valuable volunteer roles described in the sections above, we have these volunteer opportunities:
- Help write for our newsletter or blog. Email samantha@postpartum.net samantha@postpartum.net
- Participate in one of our essential committees:
- Fundraising, Volunteer Services, Outreach, PR/Marketing, Membership
- Be a Virtual Volunteer, sharing PSI news on social media. Contact socialmedia@postpartum.net for more info about social media volunteering.