10 Newbridge Hill, Bath BA1 3PU
Telephone 01225 429222
Volunteering
NEW VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS NEEDED!At any one time we have between 80-100 active listening volunteers providing the telephone helpline for distressed and suicidal callers.
Support volunteers also make a vital contribution to the branch by undertaking administrative work, helping to publicise Samaritans and forming part of our fundraising team. Every year they organise a wide range of fun events to help raise money for the branch.
Further information about the work of Samaritans is available on the national website: www.samaritans.org.
Could you help?
If you would like to join our branch of Samaritans please contact us directly on 01225 429222
Samaritans volunteers are ordinary people offering confidential emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those feelings which may lead to suicide. You don't need any formal qualifications or previous experience to become a Samaritans volunteer, however you do need to be a good listener and allow people the time and space to explore their feelings.
To volunteer you need to be 18 or over and willing to do 1 duty a week which includes 1 late night or early morning a month. For those who would find such a listening commitment difficult, there are other volunteering opportunities within the branch.
If you would like to apply to join us, please download our Application Form here
Information / Selection Days:
Informal meetings plus group discussions and activities. Information Days give the general public the opportunity to find out more about Samaritans and Selection Days explore situations that might be faced by listening volunteers and also to help the Selection team decide if Samaritans is the right organisation for the potential volunteer.Training sessions:
Focusing in-depth on the role of a Samaritans volunteer (dates and times to be found on the NEWS page).Probationary period:
If invited to join the branch, a new volunteer will serve initially as a probationer carefully guided in the early weeks by an experienced Samaritans volunteer.Mentoring:
When a new volunteer enters the branch following their initial training, they are allocated a mentor. The mentor's role is to support, nurture and guide the new volunteer through their first 6 months of listening. The mentor ensures that the new volunteer is fully informed of the paperwork involved, understands the system for caller care, is able to answer emails, and feels confident in taking calls.This is a vital part of the completion of their training. A warm welcome into the branch and a sensitive, caring mentor can make all the difference.