Help shape Canada’s national suicide prevention helpline
Community Member Advisors are people with lived/living experience of suicide and/or using crisis lines who share their experience and expertise to 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 are not open at this time. Please check back soon for updates on upcoming opportunities!
When applications reopen, there will be two ways to get involved as a Community Member Advisor:
Lived Experience Advisory Team: Joining the core team of Community Member Advisors who attend monthly meetings with the option to participate in other 9-8-8 engagement opportunities. An ongoing commitment with more time involved (approximately 2-4 hours per month) that is subject to openings available.
Community Member Advisor Network: Joining the mailing list to hear about casual engagement opportunities related to lived experience within or related to 9-8-8. There is no time commitment needed, learn about and take part in one-time opportunities when it works for you.
We look forward to welcoming new Community Member Advisors when applications open again.
Who can apply?
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 lived/living experience of having thoughts of suicide or attempting suicide, or
Contacting a distress or crisis line for support for yourself or someone else (including 9-8-8), or
Supporting a family member or loved one with lived/living experience of having thoughts of suicide or attempting 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
Engage in any area of 9-8-8, including: program and service design, evaluation, marketing and communications, education and training, organizational procedures, strategy and governance, and more!
They support consultation and co-creation on a wide range of topics at 9-8-8.
Support a variety of activities, including:
Reviewing 9-8-8 materials and raising awareness about 9-8-8
Co-creating solutions, brainstorming ideas, and advising on different initiatives and projects within 9-8-8
Collaborating on 9-8-8 planning, processes, and designs
Supporting training, evaluation, and continuous improvement at 9-8-8
Past examples of how Community Member Advisors 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:
Lived Experience Advisory Team:
This is an ongoing commitment and requires attending monthly meetings to provide consultation and feedback on different 9-8-8 projects and activities (approximately 2-4 hours a month).
There will also be optional engagement opportunities that you can support if interested (hours vary depending on opportunity).
The Community Member Advisor Network:
This is our email list for engagement opportunities related to suicide or crisis lines.
There is no minimum time commitment for joining the Community Member Advisor Network and no guarantee that there will be regular opportunities.
We may contact you about one-off opportunities (such as taking part in a survey, focus group, or attending a consultation meeting), but joining the network is not an ongoing commitment and does not require attending 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?
Community Member Advisors may receive an honorarium for their participation in engagement opportunities. Our honoraria policy explains how advisors are paid for their engagement with 9-8-8. We will review this with you when you are introduced to the program.
Will everyone who applies get a role?
We cannot guarantee that everyone will get a spot on the LEAT. However, anyone who applies to join the CMA Network and has the experience outlined above will be added to the mailing list.
What happens after I apply? Will everyone who applies be selected?
Once your application is submitted, it will be reviewed by our team. You’ll receive confirmation that we received your application and information about the next steps. Because roles are limited, not every applicant will be selected, but all applications are thoughtfully considered.
