Provides a confidential suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ youth. Offers an online messaging service for questions surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity; and TrevorSpace, a social networking site for LGBTQ youth and allies. Website provides links to other programs and resources.

The Trevor Project | The Trevor Project

Programs that provide immediate assistance for individuals who are having suicidal feelings with the objective of helping them explore alternatives to self-harm or self-destruction. Included are local, accredited hotlines, countywide and statewide programs, programs offered by local nonprofit organizations and via 988, the three digit dialing code designated by the Federal Communications Commission to replace or supplement the existing toll free number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a network of more than 200 local crisis centers. Suicide prevention workers establish and maintain contact with the individual while identifying and clarifying the focal problem, evaluate the suicidal potential, assess the individual's strengths and resources, and mobilize available resources including paramedic or police intervention and emergency psychiatric care as needed. These programs can also help individuals who are worried about the potentially suicidal behavior of another with the objective of helping them identify warning signs and provide options for seeking further help. Hotline staff are generally available via telephone, email, chat and/or text. 

Suicide Prevention Hotlines

Programs that provide immediate assistance for individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer,  
two-spirit or as part of other communities such as those in the process of coming out or questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity, and/or their friends and families. Included may be short-term emotional support, resources and community referrals. The service is generally free and confidential and may offer peer support. Helpline staff are generally available via telephone, email, chat and/or text.

LGBTQ2+ Helplines

Divisions of businesses or nonprofit agencies that are responsible for developing products or delivering designated services to the public. Departments of NGOs are generally led by a manager, supervisor, director or vice president.

Nongovernmental Agency Departments

Programs that provide information about specific youth-related topics such as alcohol and drug abuse; child abuse; sexuality; sexually transmitted infections; HIV/AIDS; birth control, pregnancy and choices; sexual assault; weight management; relationships; dealing with feelings; family concerns; dealing with rules; and school, career and life choices. Information may be accessed on a website or in person, or by telephone, email, chat, text or other communication channel. Information may be in a self-serve, browsable format (for example a web resource directory or library of audio recordings) or provided by live agents with expertise in the needs and interests of youth.

Youth Issues Information Services

Provides prevention and intervention programs for youth experiencing, witnessing, or using interpersonal violence that includes domestic violence, sexual assault or harassment, teen dating abuse, gender-based violence, stalking, and coercive control. Also offers trusted adult ally response trainings, peer advocate leadership academies, community outreach, and awareness campaigns. Adapted services now available for youth and individuals with disabilities.

BLOOM365 | BLOOM365

Organizations that are actively seeking individuals with a valid driver license and current insurance who are willing, on a voluntary basis without remuneration, to provide van or bus transportation to social outings or other destinations for people served by the program.

Van/Bus Driver Volunteer Opportunities

Organizations that are actively seeking individuals with the requisite skills and experience who are willing to work on a voluntary basis without remuneration on any of a variety of projects which attempt to prevent sexual assault or provide supportive services for sexual assault survivors.

Sexual Assault Volunteer Opportunities

Community organizations that are actively seeking individuals with the requisite skills and experience who are willing to work on a voluntary basis without remuneration on any of a variety of projects which attempt to prevent the physical, emotional and sexual abuse of individuals by their spouses or partners or provide supportive services for abused adults and/or the individuals responsible for the abuse.

Domestic Violence Volunteer Opportunities

Mental health hotlines, crisis lines or other crisis intervention programs that are actively seeking individuals with the requisite skills and experience who are willing, on a voluntary basis without remuneration, to handle inquiries from people who are in acute emotional distress; who are or perceive themselves to be in life-threatening situations; who are a danger to themselves or to others; or who are hysterical, frightened or otherwise unable to cope with a problem that requires immediate action.

Crisis Intervention Volunteer Opportunities

Hotlines, talklines, warmlines and other similar programs that are actively seeking individuals with the requisite skills and experience who are willing to work on a voluntary basis without remuneration talking to people who are troubled and need an empathetic listener. If a peer assistance line, the program may be seeking youth, older adults or people having personal experience with substance abuse, gang affiliation or other specific problems.

Helpline Volunteer Opportunities

Organizations that are actively seeking individuals with the requisite skills and experience who are willing, on a voluntary basis without remuneration, to undertake library or Internet-based research or conduct interviews to acquire information needed by the organization, analyze that information (or data previously acquired or compiled by the agency) and prepare a report summarizing their findings. Volunteers may also be needed to help the organization conduct an evaluation of its programs and services or to become involved in issues research, clinical research projects, environmental research, or research in other technical areas.

Research/Evaluation Volunteer Opportunities

Programs that provide immediate assistance for people who are survivors of rape, incest and other forms of sexual assault which may include steps to ensure the person's safety, short-term emotional support, information regarding the person's rights and alternatives, and referrals and/or accompaniment to resources for medical, legal and emotional needs, advocacy and other related services. Hotline staff are generally available via telephone, email, chat and/or text.

Sexual Assault Hotlines

Programs that provide immediate assistance for women and men who have experienced domestic abuse which may include steps to ensure the person's safety; short-term emotional support; assistance with shelter; legal information and advocacy; referrals for medical treatment; ongoing counseling and/or group support; and other related services. Hotline staff are generally available via telephone, email, chat and/or text.

Domestic Violence Hotlines

Organizations that are actively seeking individuals who are willing, on a voluntary basis without remuneration, to decorate or otherwise prepare a facility for a special event e.g., set up tables and chairs or put up/take down a tent; help with participant registration; staff an information booth, manage a silent auction table or do other work during the event; and clean up afterwards.

Event Setup/Cleanup Volunteer Opportunities

Mutual support groups whose members are individuals who have been involved in physical or emotional abuse by a spouse or other partner. The groups meet in-person, by telephone or via the Internet; provide emotional support, information and resources for those who participate; and may be structured for victims of domestic violence, those responsible for battering them, or for adults or adolescents who as children were traumatized by witnessing violence in their homes.

Domestic Violence Support Groups

Mutual support groups whose members are individuals who have been sexually assaulted or have experienced incest as a child, their spouses or partners, other family members and friends. The groups provide emotional support, information and resources to help participants recover from their ordeal and may be structured specifically for male and female sexual assault survivors; individuals who have been sexually abused by physicians, therapists, religious authority figures or other trusted individuals; or male and/or female adults and teens who experienced incest or were sexually exploited as children. Groups may also be offered for perpetrators of sexual assault, child molestation or other sex crimes. Meeting formats may include in-person, telephone or Internet options.

Sexual Assault/Incest Support Groups

Mutual support groups whose members identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit or as part of other communities such as those in the process of coming out or questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. Groups may also be structured for parents, children, heterosexual partners or other relatives or significant others. The groups provide an opportunity for members to share their issues and concerns with others in a safe, supportive environment. Meeting formats may include in-person, telephone or Internet options.

LGBTQ2+ Support Groups

Programs that intercede on behalf of individuals to help them establish eligibility for or obtain needed services when they have been denied benefits or services for which they are eligible, when they need assistance to communicate their needs to a service provider or to otherwise effectively represent themselves, or when they have a complaint about a service. Individual advocacy attempts to reach equitable settlements without resorting to litigation and seeks to meet individual needs without attempting to change social institutions.

Individual Advocacy

Programs that provide information and support for people, particularly youth, who have questions or concerns about their dating relationships or who have experienced date rape, verbal and physical abuse, threats of abuse or other forms of violence from a dating partner and need help to defuse the emotional impact of the crisis. Dating abuse hotlines may also provide assistance for concerned friends and family members, teachers, counselors, service providers and members of law enforcement. Hotline staff are generally available via telephone, email, chat and/or text.

Dating Abuse Hotlines

Organizations that are actively seeking individuals with the requisite skills and experience who are willing, on a voluntary basis without remuneration, to take responsibility for planning and coordinating special events. Activities may include arranging event logistics, renting  suitable space, overseeing decoration of the facility or other preparations, assigning tasks to supporting staff/volunteers and supervising their activities, and ensuring that the event runs smoothly.

Event Coordination Volunteer Opportunities

Organizations that are actively seeking individuals with the requisite skills who are willing to help them raise money to support their services (or to distribute to other groups) on a voluntary basis without remuneration.

Fundraising Volunteer Opportunities

Programs that use any of a wide variety of materials to educate the public about issues that relate to a particular field or topic.

Subject Specific Public Awareness/Education

Organizations that make an effort to increase the availability and utilization of community services by specific target populations by providing direct services for targeted individuals in their homes or other convenient locations or by making special efforts to ensure that a particular group is aware of available services and encouraged to participate. Included are programs that do outreach regarding their own services as well as those which encourage a target population to use a wide variety of services.

Outreach Programs

Programs that attempt to reduce the incidence of physical, emotional and sexual abuse of individuals by their spouses or partners through a variety of educational interventions which may focus on the likely victims of abuse, potential perpetrators, people who work with families and/or the community at large.

Spouse/Intimate Partner Abuse Prevention

Programs that help adults become aware of the precautions they can take at home, in their cars and on the streets to avoid sexual assault, and the alternatives they have if they are confronted by an assailant. Sessions may focus on the needs of women, gay men, transgendered individuals or others who may be particularly vulnerable.

Adult Sexual Assault Prevention

Programs that attempt to reduce the incidence of bullying, a form of violence among children, on school playgrounds, in neighborhoods and in homes, through a variety of interventions which may include use of an anonymous questionnaire to assess the nature and prevalence of the problem, development and announcement of an intervention program, open discussions of bullying at school and in other venues, increased supervision of children in areas that are "hotspots" for bullying, arrangements for reporting bullying incidents, immediate intervention when bullying incidents occur, development of protective strategies for targets, formation of support groups for victims of bullies, discussions with parents of involved students, and engagement of community members in support of the program. Most bullying prevention programs are school based and target students in elementary, middle and junior high schools. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or psychological; and involves intentional, repeated hurtful acts, words and other behavior such as name-calling, threatening or shunning committed by one or more children against another child.

Bullying Prevention

Programs that attempt to reduce the incidence of cyberbullying, a form of  harassment or stalking also known as "online bullying", that uses the Internet, cell phones or other devices to send or post text or images (particularly on social media sites) that are intended to hurt or embarrass another individual. Harmful bullying behavior can include posting rumors, a victim's personal information (e.g. real name, home address, or workplace/schools) or pejorative labels (hate speech) with the objective of damaging the victim's reputation and friendships. It may also include public actions such as repeated threats, sexual remarks or defamatory false accusations, ganging up on a victim by making the person the subject of ridicule in online forums, hacking into or vandalizing sites about a person, or posting false statements as fact that are aimed at discrediting or humiliating the targeted person. Cyberbullies may also use impersonation, creating fake accounts, comments or sites posing as their target for the purpose of publishing material in their name that defames, discredits or ridicules them. Many prevention programs are provided by schools systems and some jurisdictions may have laws that explicitly include electronic forms of communication within stalking or harassment laws.

Cyberbullying Prevention

Programs, often offered by the schools, that attempt to protect children from molestation and other forms of sexual assault by family members, friends of the family, caretakers or strangers by teaching them about good and bad touches, that their body is their own, that it is all right to say "no" if someone wants to touch them in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable, and which encourage them to tell someone if they are approached or assaulted.

Child Sexual Assault Prevention

Programs that attempt to reduce the incidence of intimidation, property crimes and violence against individuals on the basis of their real or perceived race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability through a variety of educational interventions that focus on making people aware of the problem, encouraging people to actively condemn behaviors that promote hate crimes, and helping to develop cultural sensitivity in communities that are experiencing tension or where incidents have already occurred.

Hate Crimes Prevention

Restorative justice programs that offer classes or groups, sponsor victim panels or provide other interventions which help domestic violence offenders understand and take responsibility for their acts of violence and abuse; realize that their behavior is the result of their desire to gain power and control over their partner's life; and make a decision to stop their abuse by looking at the damaging effects of their actions on their relationships, partners, children and themselves. The group sessions address the tactics of power and control; describe the cycle of abuse; challenge stereotypical gender role expectations; and help abusers identify and articulate their feelings and recognize behavior, emotional and physical cues which signal escalating anger. Participants learn problem solving skills, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, stress management techniques, communication and listening skills and other skills that will help them develop and maintain positive, healthy partnerships; and may be ordered by the court to attend or self-refer. The victim panels provide a venue which enables volunteers who have been subjected to abuse to describe the treatment they have endured and the impact on their lives.