Who are Samaritan volunteers?
Samaritan volunteers are ordinary people who come from all walks of life. You have probably travelled with a Samaritan on the train or queued next to one in the supermarket. You may even work with someone who is a Samaritan.
You do not need any special qualifications to be a Samaritan and anybody over 18 is welome to apply to join our team. What makes Samaritan volunteers special is their discretion, reliability, open-mindedness, tolerance and patience.
What kind of commitment does a listening volunteer have to make?
They make a commitment to spend an average of three or four hours of their time each week supporting those who are enduring a personal crisis.
We have a range of shifts to choose from, making it easy to manage your commitment around your lifestyle. Volunteers are expected to complete at least seven overnight duties a year - each of which lasts six hours.
The initial training (SIT1) consists of five weekday evenings and two days at weekends, over a period of approximately two months. The second phase of training (SIT 2) consists of one evening session a month for four months.
All Samaritans undertake ongoing training, which is a choice of one out of three evenings, twice a year.
Do Samaritans undergo a legal vetting procedure?
Do Samaritans undergo a legal vetting procedure?
All potential volunteers for Leicester Samaritans are legally required to undergo a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check before becoming an active volunteer. Any disclosure by CRB will mean that we will need to refer the application to our Head Office for their approval for you to continue with your application.
What does training consist of?
Samaritans’ Initial Training (SIT1) helps new volunteers to develop the skills and gain the confidence needed to support our callers.
These highly participative sessions are workshop based. They provide an opportunity to take part in skills practice exercises and group discussions with a team of trainers who will also act as informal back-up for you when you become a volunteer.
Before becoming a fully fledged volunteer, a trainee will be supervised and supported by an experienced mentor for a period of around three months. During this time, you will also attend some additional training workshops (SIT2), where you will have the chance to discuss and share your experiences as a Samaritan with others who went through training with you.
Twice a year, every Samaritan participates in an on-going training workshop, which are social occasions as well as a useful reminder of how we should operate as listeners.
What could I do as a support volunteer?
Perhaps you could help with:
- street collections
- one off fundraising events
- distributing literature to households & businesses
- keeping the branch tidy and clean
- handling minor building maintenance issues
- taking photographs at various events
- designing advertising materials
There is no fixed commitment of time for a support volunteer. The main thing is to be enthusiastic in your support of Samaritans, but not to take on more than you can deliver!
Who contacts Leicester Samaritans?
Anyone can contact us. We support people of all ages, from primary school children upwards. We listen to people from all walks of life who might be worried, unable to cope or who feel suicidal.
What sort of problems do they talk about?
We listen to all sorts of problems that might lead to, or cause, someone to become distressed, despairing or suicidal.
Much of what we hear about is to do with loss: loss through the breakdown of a relationship, loss or lack of love or friendship, loss through bereavement, loss of employment, of health, of self-esteem and self-confidence.
We hear from people with mental-health problems, from people who are being bullied, people who are feeling stressed and anxious, who are worried about schoolwork and exams, people who have been raped or are being mentally, physically or sexually abused.
Callers who are struggling with drug or alcohol dependency contact us and so do people who are unsure about their sexuality. People in prison ring us. The list is truly endless.
Do they have anything in common?
They all need someone to talk to in complete confidence, someone who will listen with an open mind, accept them without prejudice and give them the time and space to express their feelings and talk through their options.
That’s where you come in…