Training: New Samaritans
On-Going Training | External Training | Diversity and Equality Policy | Selection & Training Dates

New Samaritans.
Samaritans is only as good as its Volunteers. Consequently we, as a Branch, take great care over our selection and training of New Samaritans.

We hold Selection Days at intervals throughout the year. (See Selection & Training Dates for details.) Those attending Selection have previously made an approach to us and been invited to come along and see for themselves if what we do is for them, and by the same token we get an opportunity to spend a few hours with them and decide whether we think they have the qualities we look for. Age, colour, religion, job, gender are all immaterial; it is the qualities of the individual that matter.

Having come through Selection our New Samaritans have to undergo a fairly intense preparation over eight sessions spread over eight weeks, during which they are able to take on board the Samaritan values of being able to allow people to explore difficult feelings and to listen and accept without prejudice. These sessions can be quite emotional but it is lovely to see our New Samaritans come through and into the Centre.

The first few duties in the Centre are always with an experienced volunteer who will support and guide our New Samaritans. The training is continued with further six monthly sessions, to ensure that all our Samaritans are fully prepared and confident in their abilities to listen without prejudice or judgement, to what are sometimes the innermost thoughts of our callers, and to be able to give and receive the very necessary support to fellow volunteers.

Being a Samaritan can be the most rewarding of experiences and we are always ready to welcome New Samaritans. We ask that volunteers give a three-hour duty each week with an overnight every four weeks. If you think this is for you then why not email our Coordinator with your contact details and a member of our Team will contact you as soon as practicable or alternatively download an Information Pack by clicking on either of these links.

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