Caring Listener Recruitment Process

NOMINATION

Members of the congregation and staff are encouraged to nominate someone as a caring listener using this form: https://foothillsuu.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1184458

All those nominated will be sent an application by the Minister of Community Care or members of the Caring Listener Recruitment Team

COMPLETE APPLICATION

All interested in serving as a caring listener will complete this application by Tuesday, April 28, 2026: https://foothillsuu.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1184446

The application must be accompanied by two references using this form:

https://foothillsuu.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1189901

INTERVIEWS

Share potential interviewees with Rev. Sean.

Applicants will be interviewed by all three members of the Caring Listener Recruitment Team.  Ideally, these interviews are in person but Zoom can also work.  These interviews can begin as soon as the team is ready — no need to wait until after the April 28 application deadline has passed.

Questions for the interview include:

What brought you to Foothills?

What drew you to apply to the Caring Listener team?

What gifts do you bring to this role?

How would you handle an interaction with someone with a lot of chaos in their life? (possibly ask for an example?)

Our Caring Listeners offer peer support through deep listening and asking open, honest questions.  This is different from a friendship or a therapeutic relationship. Caring Listener is responsible for holding this boundary.   How do you feel about this? Where in your life do you need to hold good boundaries, either professionally or personally? 

Where in your life do you keep confidences?  Who was a mentor or example to you in keeping healthy confidences?

When was a time in your life when someone really listened to you and it made a difference?

Are you comfortable making cold calls, or talking with people you don't know?

Caring Listeners need to respond to calls or texts within 24 hours.  Will that work for you? (Of course, you are welcome to take breaks or go on vacation — we are a team that can cover for one another.)

Is there a particular population or life experience that you feel you’re uniquely positioned to offer support around?

Tell us about your hobbies and interests.  What do you do in your free time?

SELECTING CARING LISTENERS

Caring Listeners will be selected by Friday, May 22, 2026.   There are three positions open: Two geographic-based team members  who will make check-in calls AND one-on-one peer support and a floater who will only do one-on-one peer support..

Recruitment team members will considering the following in selecting Caring Listeners. 

• Skills and capacity to carry out duties of caring listeners
• Overall balance of the team in terms of gender, age, race, sexual orientation, life experience (professional, personal).
• Rev. Sean is available at Sean@foothillsuu.org or 617-817-0531 to consult and ask questions.

 

Please share your final Caring Listener selections with Rev. Sean for final approval before inviting them to join.

Caring Listener Recruitment Team will reach out to selected Caring LIsteners with an invitation to join.  If there are many more applicants than spots, please invite them to apply again.

CALENDARING

Select training times: Please select an August orientation date that works for new Caring Listeners. Training will take four hours — either two 2-hour blocks or one four hour block.  

4 hour blocks could take place on these days between 10am-4pm: August 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21.  

2 hour blocks could take place on these days between 5-8pm on weeknights: August 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20.

If none of these work, the week of August 25 can work. 

Select Caring Listener Potluck times: After the above training has been scheduled,  Caring Listener Potluck to follow on either of these days: Sunday, August 16 or 23 from 12:30-2:15pm.  (If neither works, find a time from 6-8pm on a weeknight). Find a time that works for the new people, then share this time with Bugs Seifert (they/them - Bugs@foothillsuu.org) who will share out with the greater Caring Listener team.

CONCLUSION OF PROCESS

This process will be completed by June 1, 2026.  Please share names of new Caring Listeners and scheduling outcomes with Bugs Seifert (they/them - Bugs@foothillsuu.org) and Rev. Sean Neil-Barron (he/him - Sean@foothillsuu.org) .  Please ask Bugs to schedule space for trainings (225 should be fine) and potluck.