Volunteers are the heart of Galway Samaritans. The commitment of its volunteers means anyone who is going through difficult times can count on Samaritans to be there day and night, 365 days a year.
To add to their listening team, Galway Samaritans are holding an open meeting on Wednesday Feb 8 at 8pm in the Harbour Hotel, in Galway city. (H91 E9PR )
Nuala Dalton, one of the volunteers, says that Galway Samaritans get callers grateful that you’re there, callers whose normal support services are closed, some who are recently bereaved, callers who are very lonely, and other callers who are alone and delighted to be on their own because of family dynamics.
For Nuala “It’s a real privilege to go into a branch and sit there and take a call, that someone trusts you enough to pick up the phone if they ring.”
“If you think you can be there for people who need someone to talk to then volunteering with Samaritans might be for you.”
They are looking for new volunteers to help keep this vital service running. As a listening volunteer you will be there for people who need someone to talk to. You will be willing to listen and understand, without telling people what to do.
Anyone has it in them to be a Samaritan. You do not need to have previous experience or qualifications, but you will need to be non-judgemental and accepting of others.
It doesn’t necessarily matter if you have gone through difficult times yourself, what matters is that you want to help people – all kinds of people, from all walks of life.
Galway Samaritans will support you every step of the way. Samaritans are there for callers and for each other too. You’ll be welcomed into a warm and incredibly supportive environment.
You will have an interview so you can get to know each other and find a role that suits you.
Volunteers are asked to attend an induction. It is a great chance to learn more about Samaritans and your role as a volunteer.
Listening volunteers will complete full Samaritans training so you know what to say and do when people reach out for help.
Everyone gets ongoing support from a network of fellow volunteers.
By volunteering for a few hours a week, you could help change someone’s life forever.
If you are interested but not available for this meeting, please contact [email protected]
pr see the website www.samaritans.ie/volunteer
