Worthing Samaritans is one of 200 branches in the UK and dealt with 21,500 contacts last year with fewer than 100 volunteers – and now the branch needs more people to be there for callers in crisis.
Samaritans is a unique charity dedicated to reducing the number of deaths by suicide in the next five years. Current figures show almost 7,000 people took their own life in the UK in 2021 and that suicide remains the biggest killer of men under the age of 50 and young people aged 16-24.
Samaritans know that feelings of isolation and disconnection can lead to suicide and sometimes that call to and contact with an empathetic listener can turn the tide.
Every ten seconds someone calls the Samaritans for help and with their listening volunteers responding to more than 10,000 calls a day.
Head of Recruitment for Worthing Samaritans Jane Wilkinson said: “We're looking for empathetic, committed volunteers from all walks of life, who can listen without judgement and who can commit to one 3 hour shift a week to be there for our callers. We are a 24/7, 365 days a year service and that’s why we need more people to help.
“In return we'll give you excellent, free, comprehensive training so that you'll feel ready to handle any call that comes along; a pro-active support network, like-minded, friendly co-volunteers and the chance to make a big difference to someone's life.”
If you are interested, please visit the website https://www.samaritans.org/support-us/volunteer/
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