Help shape Canada’s national suicide prevention helpline
Community Member Advisors are people with lived experience of suicide and/or using crisis lines to share their experience and expertise and help guide the service.
As a Community Member Advisor, your input will help make the service better for the thousands of people across Canada who reach out to 9-8-8 every day.
Working with the 9-8-8 project has given me a safe space to feel heard and my experiences are not only validated, but valued.
- 9-8-8 Community Member Advisor
Applications now open!
There are two ways you can get involved as a Community Member Advisor:
Apply to join the Community Member Advisor network – take part in one-time opportunities when it works for you.
Apply to join the Lived Experience Caucus – an ongoing commitment with more time involved (approximately 2-4 hours per month).
We are currently looking for people to join the Community Member Advisor Network.
You can apply to be a 9-8-8 Community Member Advisor if you:
Are aged 18 or over, and
Live in Canada, and you also have experience of one or more of the following:
Your own living experience of having thoughts of suicide, or
Contacting a distress or crisis line for support, including 9-8-8, or
Having a family member or loved one with lived/living experience of having thoughts of suicide
We are particularly keen to hear from people who are interested in:
Speaking through a lens of their lived experience to provide feedback
Collaborative discussions
Building an inclusive, empathetic, non-judgmental space
Learning about how the 9-8-8 service works.
We prioritize including diverse perspectives from across Canada. We encourage people from equity-deserving communities to apply, including people from First Nations, Métis and Inuit, Black and racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, and rural communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Community Member Advisor do?
Community Member Advisors:
Bring their perspective of lived experience to help shape the 9-8-8 service
Share their input on a wide range of topics, such as: advertising, evaluation, and training for 9-8-8 responders. Past examples of how CMAs have contributed include:
sharing feedback on a public service announcement and marketing materials
reviewing training materials
and much more!.
How much time will I be expected to spend on Community Member Advisor meetings?
There are two ways you can contribute as a Community Member Advisor:
The Lived Experiences Caucus. This involves joining monthly meetings provide ongoing input on the service and contributing to additional projects as needed. (approximately 2-4 hours per month)
The Community Member Advisor network. If you join this network, we will contact you about one-off opportunities (e.g. taking part in a survey or focus group, coming to a consultation meeting) but you will not be committing to joining monthly meetings.
Are the meetings in-person?
All meetings with Community Member Advisors are virtual. We try to arrange meetings at times that work for people who have commitments during the day and are in different time zones.
You may sometimes also be asked to contribute your feedback by email or survey.
Will I be paid for taking part?
Yes! All Community Member Advisors are paid $30 per hour. Whether you join the Lived Experiences Caucus or the Community Member Advisor Network, the compensation is the same.
Will everyone who applies get a role?
Anyone who applies to join the Community Member Advisor Network and has the experience outlined above will be added to the Community Member Advisor Network mailing list. We send opportunities to get involved with 9-8-8 to this mailing list as and when they come up.
