Samaritans of Newry & Dundalk is searching for new volunteers to get involved with the charity and give something back to the local community, while making a difference to people’s lives.
We are looking for men and women, of all ages and walks of life, to join our current volunteers in dedicating around three or four hours a week to those most in need.
To find out more about becoming a volunteer with Samaritans in Newry, email us directly at [email protected]. You can also check out our website for more information on what it takes to become a Samaritan: http://www.samaritans.org/volunteer.
We will meet with potential volunteers in November, with the aim to start the training process in January 2022. The training will involve some online learning as well as in person classes over a period of 5 weeks (restrictions permitting).
Oonagh Brown, the Director of Samaritans in Newry said: “Newry & Dundalk Samaritans offer round-the-clock emotional support to anyone who is struggling to cope with whatever it is that life has thrown at them.”
“Every day, volunteers around the country respond to around 10,000 calls for help. It is a real privilege to be there for somebody who is going through a difficult time.
“As 2022 approaches, we are asking people across the South Down, South Armagh and Dundalk areas to consider making a difference to someone’s life by volunteering with us.”
“It takes a huge number of volunteers to keep our service operational so if you are thinking about volunteering and making a difference to people’s lives in 2022, please have a look at http://www.samaritans.org/volunteer to find out if you have what it takes to be a Samaritan.”
Established in Ireland in 1962, Samaritans is based in 21 towns across the island of Ireland, with over 1,800 active volunteers on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
One volunteer, Enda, has been volunteering since 2012: “Anyone can be a Samaritan as long as you believe in what you’re doing and you’re willing to listen,” he said.
“Allowing someone the space to talk, and really listening to what they want to talk about, are skills I’ve tried to adhere to both on and off duty.
“What really drives me though are the callers and knowing that by being there to pick up the phone I may have given them a beacon of hope. No matter where you are in life, the need to be heard and the need for empathy are things that will be with us always.”