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HelpLine provides, by telephone, peer support, information, referrals, & crisis assessment & intervention for Texas A&M students. The HelpLine is supervised and run by Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) at Texas A&M. Read below to learn more!

about helpline

The Texas A&M HelpLine, founded in January of 1995, provides, by telephone, peer support, information, referrals, & crisis assessment & intervention for Texas A&M students. It is open from 4:00 pm to 8:00 am on weekdays, &  24 hours a day on the weekends when classes are in session. The HelpLine is supervised and run by Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) at Texas A&M. ​

Why join Helpline?

  1. That great feeling you get from knowing you made a difference in the life of a fellow Aggie.
  2. Terrific training in listening skills & current student issues... & a chance to see if this field is for you, if you are considering a career in counseling.
  3. A terrific way to build a great résumé & get letters of reference, even for non-psych majors.
  4. Develop friendships with HelpLine co-workers who have similar interests.
  5. You get the inside scoop about A&M, CAPS & other programs & services around town.

How to apply: 

-To apply: Go to the CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) website caps.tamu.edu/helpline/become-a-helpline-volunteer/ and click the APPLY NOW button and just follow the instructions! 
-Once you have submitted your application, it will be reviewed by Susan Vavra. The next step is a one-hour interview with Susan & a current HelpLine volunteer. After the interview you will be notified by email whether or not you have been accepted for training.
-Interviews for the January class begin in November of the previous year/semester and interviews for the August class being in April. 
-Training takes place the week before the semester starts, typically scheduled from 8:30 am to 6 pm on Monday through Friday, and from 8:30 am to 4 pm on Saturday. 
-After the training week is over, you will have a two-hour exit interview with HelpLine staff. Decisions about who has successfully passed training and will be accepted for the HelpLine are typically made the first week of class, after exit interviews are completed.

Time Commitment:

• An average of 1 shift each week. Most shifts are 4 to 6 hours long, but graveyard shifts may be longer. HelpLine workers pick their shifts & rarely have to cover the same shift every week.
• A one-hour supervision meeting each week in groups of 6 to 8 workers. This meets the same time each week for the semester and is arranged around your class and work schedule.
• Continuing Education meetings, typically once a semester.
• Though this looks like a lot of time, HelpLiners report that it is really easy to fit in their schedules because there is such flexibility in which shifts are available.