b'Supported by TD Bank Groupvolunteer training and supports. In the lastthen they have a week of scenarios and few years, their growth in support has alsotwo weeks of shadowing.meant that we can increase resources toPANDEMIC WINSbetter support the HelpLine.The COVID-19 pandemic hit an already25 YEARS OF YOUTH RESILIENCESupport from TD builds on the Banksstruggling community hard, closing access long-standing commitment to theto numerous resources like community LGBTQ2+ community that spanscentres and libraries, reducing safe spaces decades. It was the first bank in Canadafor youth facing abuse or inadequate to introduce same-sex spousal benefits inhousing, and evenvery briefly1994 and announced it would add gendershutting down YouthLine. But pandemic affirmation surgery benefits to supportadjustments have actually broadenedemployees and their families in 2008.the organizations ability to serveTD remains committed to helping driveisolated youth.progress forward for the A lot of the issues that LGBTQ+ youth LGBTQ2+ community.have always dealt with are exacerbated VOLUNTEER EDUCATION by the conditions of the pandemic and LGBT YouthLine provides an intensiveby being a minor who may often be program of training to its volunteers, saysfinancially constrained in the context of a Peer Support Program Coordinator Ayanfamily that may be less than supportive, Ali. It includes a lot of skills-development,Ali says.meaning how to communicateHowever, as much as the pandemic has boundaries, share insights, have amade things really difficult, it also has nonjudgmental view of other people,accelerated our provincial mandate, adds learning how to trust people. Its all Khan. A couple of years ago, YouthLine done by community members; its moredeveloped a new strategic plan. Part of of a lateral structure, as opposed to that was to break out of the GTA and do top-down. more in northern and rural communities, Tier 1 training prepares volunteers forand to have volunteers from all over the chat and text interactions with threeprovince. What the pandemic really did hours of weekly instruction for 13 weeks.was force us to reimagine our volunteer It includes peer-support training andstructure. Now were able to have youth the foundations for anti-oppressionfrom all over the province join us.education, says Ali. Topics like exploringThus, today, says Ali, we have volunteers what gender diversity looks like, howin remote, rural areas and in the north different communities might haveable to bring so much nuance and clarity different names, white supremacy,to the issues that our clients are dealing colonialism, ablism, community care:with. I also want to touch on the fact that all of this is tied together with extensivethe youth that reach out to us are under-scenario work. resourced, but some of the savviest, most For instance, if were talking about harmempathetic and resourceful people Ive reduction, we might give them a scenariohad a chance to meet, especially our where someone is struggling with self- volunteers. They are keen, constantly harm, and they are going to practiseexcited. They have so much value to offer talking with that person. to the YouthLine and to the LGBTQ+ The next step is three weeks ofcommunity more broadly. Theres a lot shadowing, where volunteers workof raw talent and ideas and willingness closely with shift supervisors. To qualifyto collaborate if the opportunities and to work on the phone lines, they receivestructure were there.an additional five weeks of training. AliWith this influx of youth talent, we have describes this as less factual-based andfully moved remotely in terms of the more focused on setting boundaries onHelpLine service, Ali says. In the last few the phone call, risk assessment, safetyyears, weve made considerable strides in planning. We cover all these topics, andunimaginable ways.'