Volunteer at Oxford Nightline
Train to become a listening ear for students throughout the night
If you are a student and would like to sign up for listening training, just fill out the form below. Please fill out this form as early as possible! It is usually expected that we will have all of our groups finalised the week before training starts (this cycle, training starts the weekend of 1st/2nd February).
Listening volunteers are there for anyone who needs someone to talk to at night, when most services are closed. Every year, Nightline responds to over 2,000 calls from students at Oxford Brookes University and the University of Oxford.
“Nightline training and volunteering really taught me to listen, empathise and not judge, as well as the ability to stay awake all night, which are great skills to take into rest of our life after Oxford.”
Anonymous, former Nightline volunteer
As a listening volunteer, you would help to staff our phone and instant messaging services through the night. This would involve listening without offering advice or solutions, but just helping the caller talk about what they want to talk about. This involves working with a shift partner and the service coordinators, who make sure you never have to tackle a hard call on your own.
Volunteers are asked to commit to at least two shifts per term, if they can. There are beds and refreshments in the office, so you can sleep or eat when you aren’t on a call! We also know that life as a student can get hectic so two shifts is not a hard rule, and volunteers can sign up for shifts that suit them, across all seven days of the week.
What is the application process?
Step 1: Sign up to train
Nightline trains volunteers in November, February and May each academic year. In February 2025, the dates of training will be:
– Saturdays: 1st, 8th, and 15th February
– Sundays: 2nd, 9th, and 16th February
If you are available for all three Saturdays, or Sundays, you can sign up using the form above.
Step 2: Confirm availability
Reply to an email confirming your participation. This will be sent in the weeks preceding the start of training.
If you are concerned your application has not been received, contact the Training Organisers via training@oxfordnightline.org. They will be able to assist with any queries.
Step 3: Attend training
Training consists of three full days (9:30 AM – 6:00 PM) on either Saturdays or Sundays.
You must be available to attend all three days in order to be selected as a volunteer, because each day consists in skills and topics needed to prepare you for taking calls as a listener.
Step 4: Selection
After Day 3 of training, trainees who are selected to be listening volunteers receive an office induction, and then become eligible for their first shift. This shift will be alongside one of your trainers, to ease you into volunteering.
After that, you become a fully qualified and inducted listening volunteer for Nightline!
What are we looking for?
For students, by students
You are a current student at the University of Oxford or Oxford Brookes University.
Supportiveness
You help to maintain a friendly and supportive atmosphere during training and as a volunteer.
Empathy
You are able to hear another person’s perspective, share in their feelings and be present.
Confidentiality
You maintain complete anonymity about your role. You should not tell your friends that are training with Nightline.
Learning attitude
You have a willingness to learn new skills and adapt your style throughout training and volunteering more generally.
Nightline’s values
You are committed to Nightline’s mission of offering a mode of non-judgemental and non-directional support.
What do our volunteers think?
“Training for Oxford Nightline taught me a lot about myself, and a huge amount about how to thoughtfully interact with and support people I come across in all aspects of my life. It taught me to listen more carefully than I realised I needed to, and to respond with some words or a reflection that can help the person that I’m listening to progress their own thought process.”
“My time at Oxford Nightline was some of the most meaningful time I spent – and I learned so much that I’ve carried in life about how to make space for others to truly express themselves, and to listen without judgment. The training we did was profound in its impact on me. As a student, it was also one of the few ways I got to know a wider range of students.“
Interested? Sign up using the form!
For questions about the role or application process, please contact training@oxfordnightline.org