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Information for Shelter Volunteers
NIGHT SHELTER VOLUNTEER TRAINING VIDEO
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOMELESSNESS
HOMELESS – a thought provoking mini-documentary by Edward Browne following the lives of 3 people experiencing homelessness in London.
BEING HOMELESS – another snippet from the Open University documentary, exploring what it is like for those who are experiencing homelessness.
LEARN MORE ABOUT TRAUMA INFORMED CARE
HOUSING JUSTICE On this web page there is a trauma informed guide for night shelters, and a 15 minute video for volunteers explaining trauma informed care.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES ON HAVING CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS
By Robes – a guide on how to talk to a guest when they might be angry and upset. Ways to try and calm the situation.
By Training JCPL – Nine de-escalation skills developed for librarians, but transferable to the conversations we might have in the shelter.
By Dr Christian Conte – more de-escalation skills to help increase your knowledge of how to calm someone down.
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
By Mind – short video giving a brief overview of what mental health is.
By Zero Suicide Alliance – free online training on suicide awareness and how to have a life saving conversation.
By Mental Health Courses – a free course you can attend online to improve your knowledge of mental health.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL AWARENESS
Drug and alcohol awareness for students, but explains all the main details and symptoms.
A report by Victoria Derbyshire for the BBC on alcohol abuse.
