Even as a freshman at Florida State, Dylan McMahon was interested in being a counselor and working with adolescents on suicide prevention. Initially, a psychology major, a class presentation on volunteer opportunities with 2-1-1 Big Bend (2-1-1), a local crisis intervention and prevention organization, sparked his interest.

“The opportunity at 2-1-1 Big Bend is unique to undergraduates,” Dylan explained. “Getting experience in short-term supportive crisis counseling in my first two years as a college student was something I could not find anywhere else.” He and other 2-1-1 volunteers received training in providing human service information and assistance to people in crisis in calling the hotline that responds 24 hours a day. The hotline serves 8 counties in the northern part of Florida, and counselors are called upon to provide emotional support, crisis counseling, and suicide prevention along with referrals to additional information and support services. The organization

The experience was gratifying for Dylan, allowing him to have a first-hand experience with counseling and social service work. Calls can vary from directing someone to a food pantry to providing an empathetic ear or being a supportive voice.

“It can be draining to spend so much time with so many people who are struggling. We also experience large spikes during natural disasters or times of crisis like Hurricane Ian and especially with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dylan. “Thankfully, we are surrounded at all times by incredible staff who gave me the encouragement and support to carry on, even giving me breaks when needed.”

But with the challenges come immense personal and professional rewards. “It is extremely rewarding to know that every time I answer the phone, I directly impact a person’s life in a positive way,” he stressed.

It was also through the volunteer experience that he learned about the social work profession from a colleague earning their MSW. After checking out the degree program and speaking with an advisor, Dylan applied and was accepted into the BSW Program.

There are also a lot of opportunities for growth and upward mobility in the agency, he described. Since Tallahassee is a college town, the pool of volunteers and counselors are mostly university students. Opportunities with the hotline are frequently open for students looking to help the community and gain experience with support services.

After two months of volunteering with 2-1-1, Dylan was hired as a paid hotline counselor. Dylan reports finding the flexible, supportive working environment to have been a source of immense growth and some of his closest friends.

When the position of volunteer coordinator opened within the organization, Dylan felt ready and eager to share his knowledge and experience.  “As someone who started as a volunteer and helped train many people here, I love the feeling of watching someone grow from a trainee to a skilled and confident crisis hotline counselor,” he emphasized.

“Working at 2-1-1 has opened my eyes to just how much can be done to make society a fairer and more equitable place,” said Dylan. “It molded me into a better, more empathetic person, student and social worker.”

Dylan hopes to continue his work helping those in crisis throughout his social work career, with an interest in working as a child protection investigator as well as with local mobile response teams.  He credits many of his social work classes and instructors in influencing his interests and career path, including Dr. Lisa Schelbe’s child maltreatment course and a course on substance misuse with faculty member Jane Dwyer Lee.

To get involved with 2-1-1 Big Bend, contact Dylan at (850) 617-6309 or the organization at https://211bigbend.org/contact/.