Latest News

Evaluation of our Work in Scotland

New Scottish Strategy to be published in April 2009

Over the summer we ran a major evaluation of our work with our external partners as well as with our own volunteers.  We have been working to raise awareness of our services in the general public, to raise the profile of our organisation amongst other service providers and to raise our influence with key decision-makers in Scotland.

To measure our success, we ran an external evaluation with help from an external consultant, and we also ran an internal electronic survey of our volunteers.

These outcome of this evaluation will provide the direction for the next phase of work in Scotland, and we know we will be continuing to expand our communications and public affairs work, building partnerships with national agencies and considering how we now make the most of the links we have made to reach those priority groups we know to be at risk.

Internally, we learned that our communication with each other needs work, and that we need to find different ways of helping our branches be more involved in what we do.

Recommendations for Samaritans in Scotland

 

Partnerships In Action

Samaritans is represented on several key national groups considering vital issues for all mental health services in Scotland.

One of those is a group considering the needs of those who are affected or bereaved by suicide and this group is striving to come up with a map of the gaps in services across the country and a sense of how all the different agencies can contribute to better, more integrated and co-ordinated services in the future.

A second group is looking at rural issues and the common concerns and issues that service providers in very rural areas face.  Our branches are based in some of the most rural and isolated areas in the UK and we are working with others to discuss ways of reaching people in these areas and encouraging  them to seek support.

 

Samaritans and Breathing Space

Breathing Space is the NHS helpline for those suffering from depression and low mood and is one of our key partners within Choose Life.  Breathing Space started life as a helpline for young men, and this is still the focus of much of their material; although the service now takes calls from anyone in Scotland who needs support or who needs information about local services that can help them.  Breathing Space is a key route into essential services for many people as they are the specialised mental health arm of NHS 24, and can make direct referrals to services if this is required.

Since 2004 we have been working closely with Breathing Space to present a common message that it doesn’t matter which phone number people use, as long as they seek help.  We have run worked together at events, for national campaigns and are currently considering how we can match up our resources more closely – either joint publicity, joint campaigns or perhaps sharing training and information.

Breathing Space direct people to our helpline if they are closed, and recognise our expertise in suicide awareness and support. We are also able to offer community outreach and training, volunteer presence in local areas and local publicity in a way that they can’t.  Therefore it seems quite obvious that working together, we can reach many more people in Scotland with a range of services and materials, and that choice will ensure that those who need help get the help they need.

Find out more about Breathing Space

 

DEAL (Developing Emotional Awareness and Learning) Roll Out in Scotland

DEAL and the Scottish Learning Festival

We have had an excellent response from our work to roll out DEAL in Scottish schools, with letters and phone calls resulting in contacts from 4 schools in Highland and 1 school in Fife,  as well as other interest through our branches in Aberdeen and Dundee.  In addition to these direct contacts, we are following up notes of interest in Moray where Lossiemouth High School has asked for some information about our work. 

We spent a very useful 2 days at the Scottish Learning Festival in Glasgow where we gave out over 50 copies of DEAL and spoke to many more about the pack and about the new piece of work:  the Suicide and Self-Harm Response Kit for Schools.

Jamie McJimpsey, Service Support Officer for Scotland has been working with a small team of volunteers to ensure that schools in Scotland are aware of and know how to make best use of the DEAL pack with their pupils.  Jamie and his team have targeted key professionals in Fife and Highlands to  offer training on the materials and to establish links with local schools with and on behalf of the local branches.

We hope that by the end of March 2009 we will have been in touch with every local authority in Scotland raising awareness of DEAL and our wider work in schools.

 

Samaritans in Scotland and our work in prisons

Samaritans and the Scottish Prison Service are working together to improve the scope and scale of our listener support schemes in Scottish prisons.  A recent joint event between our 2 organisations galvanised activity around training and awareness raising, and has heralded a renewed commitment to the services at all levels.

As part of this new effort, we are working together to produce a training DVD for potential listeners and those who need support, funded by SPS via the funding they give the Scottish Region and we hope to have the DVD ready later this year.

Another important new development for us is working with Families Outside to develop and deliver joint training to new prison staff. 

www.familiesoutside.org.uk/

 

Volunteer Recruitment Drive

Our survey tells us quite clearly that our priority for the next year has to be volunteer recruitment.  We not only require around 300 additional volunteers to carry out all the tasks we need to do, but we also need volunteers who are prepared to work in our communities, giving talks, helping with fund-raising, publicising our service and promoting our links with other agencies.

If you would like to volunteer for Samaritans, you can contact your local branch, submit your enquiry here or e-mail j.mcjimpsey@samaritans.org

Outreach Work in Scotland

Schools

Many of our branches are working in schools to raise awareness of emotional health, the importance of talking about feelings and to give out information about our services and how to contact Samaritans.  Your local branch will be able to tell you what their local programme of activity is, and how they can contribute to your curriculum.

In addition, we are currently starting a roll out of the DEAL schools pack across Scotland to ensure that schools are aware of this Samaritans resource, and have the appropriate support to be able to make use of it with their students.

Find out more about DEAL

In some areas, we have assisted pupils and staff to explore the option of peer listening services, and peer support.

For more information about our work in schools and how we can help you, contact j.mcjimpsey@samaritans.org

Work In Prisons

Samaritans supports every Scottish prison by training prisoners to be listeners for other prisoners.  Listeners offer the same confidential, non-judgemental service to their fellow prisoners as Samaritans do in the wider community, and they are supported by regular visits by Samaritans to the prison.

Samaritans also received funding from the Scottish Prison Service to offer support to prisoners on release.

Health Professionals

We are currently piloting some work setting up referral protocols with health professionals in Perth with a team of GP practices.  Our aim is to work with primary health care staff to encourage them to identify patients who need emotional support and who would benefit from being contacted by Samaritans and being offered the opportunity to talk to a trained Samaritan volunteer.

This is a new development in Scotland and we are aiming to work with other authorities, and also with other professionals in the care sector – either statutory or voluntary services.

If you are interested in finding out more about our work with health professionals, please contact  j.mcjimpsey@samaritans.org

External Training Directory

Businesses and agencies in Scotland can access our range of training courses which can be tailored to your agency and your needs. Our External Training Team can develop and provide courses for your staff, or there are now opportunities for staff to attend our new Open Courses, which aim to bring together staff from a variety of agencies to work together.

If it is difficult for your staff to get away for the day, we have a CD-Rom for Managers which provides maximum flexibility.