Thinking of joining?

These notes may help you make up your mind.

Samaritans are available 24 hours a day to provide emotional support to people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those, which may lead to suicide. Callers may phone or visit our local centre, or may e-mail us by using our national e-mail address jo@samaritans.org.

Samaritans listen – but don’t give advice, or criticise or judge. As well as listening in a crisis we offer callers on-going support, where appropriate, until they can manage without us.

Samaritan volunteers are expected to do a weekly duty in the Centre. The duties last between 3-4 hours with the exception of the overnight duty. Volunteers are expected to do one overnight duty every four weeks.

You will also be required to attend a minimum of 5 hours training each year.

Because of the time commitment required, many Samaritans make this their principal or only form of voluntary work.

The support of those close to you is invaluable. However, Samaritan work is strictly confidential, and you will not be able to share this with anyone who is not a Samaritan volunteer.

We need ordinary, friendly people over 17 who are not afraid of distress, and who can be depended upon to be totally confidential. We are short of people with free time during the day or at weekends.

There will be an informal and friendly interview. The interviewers are Samaritans, and they will ask you about your background and experience of life. They may ask some pretty searching questions! You will also have the chance to ask questions.

Your own experience may have increased your sympathy and compassion – but it may have left you too vulnerable to take on other people’s troubles. It depends on how you coped with your problems, and what they did to you.

No – and this doesn’t mean that if we don’t accept you that we think you’re a second class citizen. It may be that your talents are not appropriate to Samaritans, or the timing is not right for you at present.

The training usually comprises one weekend (i.e. all day Saturday) and 5 – 6 evening sessions.

If you feel you still want to apply to join Bangor & North Down Branch of Samaritans, please print and complete the PDF version of our application form or contact us for an application form to be sent to you

To view and print PDF documents you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Click here to download our PDF application form.