Laura's Story - Through darkness and daylight, Samaritans volunteers are here to listen 24/7

This year, on Samaritans Awareness Day, we’re going to introduce you to two incredible volunteers that make it possible for Samaritans listening service to be here 24/7.

We begin with Laura to lead us through the night, before passing over to Doug to speak about being a listening volunteer with Samaritans during the daylight hours. They let us know what it’s really like being the voice behind the phone line, and often the only person that someone feels able to talk to during a time of crisis.

Laura is based in Shetland and wanted to volunteer with Samaritans after being affected by suicide in her personal life, and to help support people who may struggle to open up in their daily lives.

“Many people are still afraid to talk about how they’re truly feeling due to worry about how it might affect their employment opportunities, their relationships at home, and even with things like insurance. Being able to support someone anonymously sounded like a great thing to do.

“I have had friends who sadly died by suicide. I wished I had been able to talk to them and support them in any way that I could. If there was even the smallest of chances they wanted to talk things through with somebody, I would have done anything to be at the other end of the phone.”

Samaritans is a 24/7 service for people in emotional distress. Laura is one of the volunteers that help to make this a reality by being there for people to speak to through the night.

“I choose to volunteer for night shifts because it’s a time where most people are sleeping, so support and people to speak to are less available for those who need it most.

“The callers during these shifts are usually very grateful to be able to talk through their feelings or worries. Most people aren’t available for a chat, and it can make a person in distress feel isolated and vulnerable during this time. I always feel like I’ve made an important contribution to the wellbeing of these people, even if it’s just down to a 10-minute chat.

“You never know when you’re going to need someone to speak to, so it’s crucial that there are volunteers available 24/7 to listen to as many callers as possible."

Speaking about her preparations for a night shift, Laura said:

“I wake up around 2:45am and have a herbal tea. I go to work straight after my shift, so I make sure my work bag is packed too.

“In late Spring to late Summer in Shetland, it is rarely ever dark when I get up for a shift. Some of the drives into Lerwick are spectacular! Even in Winter during the dark months, you can see the beautiful starry sky or the aurora borealis. It can be an uplifting start to your day for sure!

“I arrive and have a catch-up with my colleague which helps us feel more awake. Normally we are both very busy during the shift, so we rarely get a chance to chat again until the end of our shift.”

Samaritans volunteers are highly trained to support callers in distress, but they are people at the end of the phone too. Whilst calls remain anonymous, it’s important that volunteers talk through their thoughts and feelings with Samaritans colleagues if they feel upset or distressed.

“We always have a debrief about our calls with our shift leader. Most of the time I feel good about my calls and feel like I’ve made a difference to at least one caller. On the rare occasion I’ve had a difficult shift, I’ll sometimes call my shift leader later in the day to speak through what’s on my mind. This can really help me feel reassured.”

Laura explained more about how the team of volunteers support each other if they have felt emotional about any of the calls they have taken during a night shift. Shift leaders are there to support the listening volunteers through their shift, to provide reassurance, and to talk through anything that might be on their mind.

“There have been calls that have made me feel emotional afterwards, but I’ve been delighted that the person had called Samaritans, and I felt lucky to have been the listening volunteer they were connected to.

“It can be easy to feel frustrated that you can’t fix anyone’s situation. My colleagues reminded me that as a listening volunteer, I’m not there to fix problems or give advice, but to listen. And at times, my shift leader has spoken to me later in the day and at the end of the week to make sure that I’m feeling ok.”

The Samaritans volunteers behind the phone lines are the reason we can celebrate being here 24/7 for people that need someone to talk to, particularly through the night.

“Being a Samaritans nighttime volunteer is extremely important, rewarding, and worth the sleepy start. The callers are normally extremely grateful to be able to speak to someone at a time where they can’t talk to anyone else and appreciate every moment that you give to them.

“For anyone thinking of calling Samaritans through the night, I would say you’ve made a positive step. Remember, calls are confidential and it’s a safe space to talk about how you’re feeling and what you’re going through without any judgement.”

Looking back, we asked Laura what advice she’d give herself when she turned up to do her first shift.

“I would tell myself there’s nothing to be nervous about. I am there to listen, and I am making a big difference just by being available to answer the phone. I’d remind myself that the colleague I’m on shift with has the same goal as I do; to listen to the callers without judgement.

"We can support each other in any way that’s needed, it doesn’t matter what time of day it is. We’re still there for one another, and we’re a superb team.”