Has anyone volunteered with the Samaritans ?

[timetostartbeingme]

My uncle volunteered with the Samaritans for years, it's always something I've been meaning to look into.

Just filled in the application form so looking forward to hearing more about the volunteering role!

My qualifications are in Education and Child Protection. I have had my own struggles, I'm a good listener and I love to help people.

Just wondering if anybody else has any experience of being a Samaritan volunteer and what it involves ? Interesting to hear of peoples personal experiences and also the physical side of it such as hours.

Thanks!

My friend did it years ago.

Even though it’s voluntary, they do choose your hours for you and you had to work through the night on a rota basis. A lot of dirty phone calls and a lot of calls from people in prison.

Yep my abusive ex husband did. Interesting move, to position himself as a virtuous person...

I do, although not ina local branch. Your qualifications don't matter as such as you'll have an interview and training, they're looking for skills and potential.
Shift wise I think local branches tend to do one regular shift a week and then the nights are on rotation but it will vary between branches.
It's honestly one of the best things I did, I've been involved since 2006

You don't have to work through the night any more. You sign up for a shifts that work for you and are allocated some of them.

The training is good. There are a lot of things you aren't allowed to say. Learning to listen without saying anything evaluative is hard. Finding empathic responses takes practice. Knowing when to sign post and refer is quite tricky. You will learn how to deal with pests without making them feel they can't call if they genuinely need to.

Expect some gallows humour and nervous moments in the role plays. There will be unexpectedly funny moments. I don't think you'll regret doing it. It is important to try to compartmentalise from the outset. You'll never know the outcome. There is a world of difference between this situation affecting you or your family and being there as a shoulder to cry on for a moment. There's a limit to what you can achieve in a phone call.

No experience as a volunteer, but a thank you from a frequent caller.
Samaritans have calmed me down, listened to me pour my heart out many, many times w/o judgement and enabled me to carry on with my day/week.

I like how they don't offer solutions, just listen and acknowledge and make you feel like you matter.