HelpLine Information & Referral Specialists; Remote - INTERNSHIPS

Please note:

This is a listing for an unpaid internship position, and you must be currently enrolled in an academic program with an academic advisor to be eligible. If you are not a student, please apply using our volunteer application.

We are especially interested in candidates who are available 10am-6pm Eastern Time; if this is you, please note that in your application. And if you're available at other times, you are still encouraged to apply.

Are you interested in making a meaningful difference in people's lives?

NAMI Help Line is a free, nationwide peer‑support service providing mental health information, resource referrals, empathy, and hope to over 75,000 people a year across the U.S. who are affected by mental health conditions and are in need of help. Help Line Information and Resource Referral Specialists provide a vital service to the NAMI community by responding with empathy to inquiries by phone call and text, and by providing valuable information about mental health conditions, treatment options, NAMI education and support programs, and other mental health resources.

NAMI Help Line offers a Teen & Young Adult Help Line specialty service, which provides this population an opportunity to connect with other young people to receive support on issues that affect them and others in their age group. All Teen & Young Adult Help Line Specialists receive specialized training; those who are between 20-30 years old are encouraged to participate.

NAMI Help Line also offers a Spanish-language Help Line specialty service, which provides Spanish-speaking help seekers an opportunity to receive support in Spanish on issues that affect them. All Spanish-language Help Line Specialists receive specialized training, and those who are able to communicate fluently both verbally and in writing in Spanish are encouraged to participate.

NAMI Help Line also offers a Family Caregiver Help Line specialty service, which provides those who care for loved ones living with serious mental illness an opportunity to connect with other caregivers to receive support on issues that affect them. All Family Caregiver Help Line Specialists receive specialized training, and those who have experience caregiving for loved ones living with serious mental illness are encouraged to participate.

NAMI Help Line Specialists help individuals and families improve their lives and advance recovery by listening to their concerns and connecting them with essential resources and services. They extend empathy, understanding, respect, and emotional support to everyone contacting the NAMI Help Line. In return, as Help Line Specialists they will develop a deep understanding of the mental health landscape, mental health conditions, treatment options, and recovery strategies.

They will also experience the appreciation and gratitude expressed by the individuals, families, and caregivers they serve.

The NAMI Help Line recognizes the value of lived experience as it expands one's capacity for empathy, motivates a sincere desire to help others, and at times provides valuable perspective. Interested candidates who have been living well in recovery for at least one year, or caring for a loved one living with a mental health condition, are welcome to apply.

The NAMI Help Line team strives to create a supportive virtual community for our Specialists! Help Line staff provide regular coaching support and routinely observe and mentor Help Line Specialists in live time. Active support is provided throughout each shift via a cloud‑based collaboration hub. NAMI Help Line also hosts two virtual meetings per day for Help Line Specialists to ask questions and share experiences;
Help Line Specialists are required to attend at least one virtual, camera‑on meeting per week.

All Help Line Specialists work remotely from their homes and connect with help seekers via phone call and text using NAMI’s cloud‑based communications platform. Help Line Specialists are required to have access to a private workspace, a computer with the most recent operating system (MacOS, Windows, or Linux) and robust, reliable…