Volunteering
Go to Volunteer Interview

Thinking about Volunteering?

We are currently looking for new volunteers.

We are getting more calls than ever, and since February of 2003, we are now online to reply to caller's emails. Therefore we are looking to find some suitable new recruits to help us continue the good work that we've been doing for the last 40 years.

What is Involved?

Being a Samaritan is arguably one of the most rewarding activities that someone can do. As a potential volunteer, you will be given full training to thoroughly prepare you for taking that first call.

The initial training is held over a number of weeks, typically 8 sessions spread over 6 weeks, including an all day Saturday or Sunday session. The actual dates are arranged to suit the group. The initial training is classroom based, and is a mixture of theory and role play practice. At the end of the initial training, you will be assigned a mentor, who will guide you through the second phase of training, after you have begun answering calls. Throughout the training you will be fully assisted by our internal support system, which is highly regarded by many other organisations.

What Kind of People Are We Looking For?

An natural ability to listen and to empathise is a pre-requisite. If you are prepared to be there to support someone at a difficult time in their lives, and at the same time resist any urge to instruct, advise or thrust your own point of view onto someone else, we want to hear from you.

If you can listen without prejudice to someone's experience, someone who's beliefs may be very different to your own, and still be able to empathise, then we want to hear from you.

Following application, you will be invited to an selection day. This is an opportunity for you to find out more about being a Samaritan, and for us to see if you would be suitable. Selection is always a two-way process, there are some people who we decide are not suited to this particular role, and there are others who decide that being a Samaritan is not for them.

If you would like to donate time to the organisation, but you feel that being on the end of the phone is not ideal for you, why not donate a few hours of your time to helping us at the shop?

Information Evenings
To find out more about volunteering, come along to one of our Information Evenings, which we hold about once a month. This is an opportunity for you to find out more about becoming a Samaritan, to ask questions and to talk to current volunteers about their experience. And there might just be a cup of tea and a biscuit on offer...

All the sessions start at 7.30pm, are held at our branch, and will last about one and a half hours.

Dates for 2008

Thursday 6th November

Wednesday 26th November

Dates for 2009

Monday 12th January

Tuesday 27th January

Thursday 19th February

Thursday 12th March

Monday 20th April

Tuesday 7th May

Wednesday 17th June

Thursday 16th July

Monday 7th September

Thursday 24th September

Wednesday 14th October

Thursday 5th November

Monday 23rd November

For a better understanding of what being a volunteer is all about, read our Volunteer Interview .

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