Different Ways of Volunteering
So many ways to volunteer
If you volunteer as
a ‘listener’ during the day or night, you’ll develop the confidence
and precious know-how to turn your natural instinct to want to help
someone in difficulty into positive, sometimes life-changing
support by phone, email, text message, letter, even face to
face.
If you volunteer behind the scenes, you’ll be
helping your local branch run smoothly and play a key role in
keeping our vital service open.
Night Owls
‘My favourite time for
volunteering is the 3am-8am slot. I have always been a night owl
and this fits in with my work patterns. It is a privilege talking
to people in the early hours when they feel that no-one else is
there for them. I feel I have been really needed.’
Karen, Listening
Volunteer
Listening
‘I provide time and space
for callers in need of emotional support, helping them explore
their circumstances; this could be on the phone, through emails or
letters, or in person, face to face. I received extensive training
and ongoing support and really valued having a mentor to talk
things through with.’
Anisha, Listening
Volunteer
Publicity
‘As the branch publicity
officer I work with local press and radio, to raise awareness of
our service and recruit more volunteers. I have built up some
useful contacts and developed some valuable skills. All in all, I
have found it a fulfilling opportunity.’
Robin, Branch Press
Officer
Fundraising
‘Fundraising is essential to
the upkeep of our branch and it also helps build our profile and
relationship with the local community. Fundraising can be anything
from rattling a collecting tin outside our local supermarket,
running raffles and events, attending fairs and fetes or writing to
local companies. It is a challenge to raise funds but an extremely
rewarding one, especially knowing that the income really makes a
difference.’
Lisska, Branch
Fundraiser
Administration
‘My role deals with admin –
such as maintaining databases and co-ordinating volunteer training
courses. The flexibility of this role enables me to combine my
family life with my commitment to my branch. I am not under
pressure to maintain the same days and I now visit the branch on
different days and get to meet more of the other volunteers.’
Jo-Anne, Branch
Administrator
Finance
‘I joined Samaritans as a
volunteer in the role of treasurer. My job involves keeping records
of financial transactions, paying the bills, producing budgets and
monitoring spending. No-one in the branch is paid but it still
costs around £30,000 a year to keep our branch open and make sure
the telephones and emails are answered.’
Francis, Branch
Treasurer
Volunteer for Samaritans
Find out
what happens when you call Samaritans