Priority 1: Access

Our challenge

We cannot always meet the demand for Samaritans’ services and there is a risk that people who are trying to contact us can’t get through or get the response they need.

Our ambition

People will be able to access our support whenever they need it and get through to us in a way that works for them.

We'll work hard to ensure people who seek our support can reach us how and when they need to, by training more volunteers and working innovatively on new ways to connect with us, like online chat, alongside continually reviewing and improving our phone, email and in-person listening services.

We will:

• Work with branches to promote and support diverse recruitment and retention of volunteers, supporting branches to reach out to their communities and building on the EDI project.
• Increase awareness and understanding of the nature and relevance of Samaritans services to those struggling to cope, and of our relevance to the communities and individuals we serve.
• Support new approaches to volunteer roles and address issues of capacity to meet the demands on our service.
• Promote and increase understanding of our service and our expertise among local, regional and national organisations, enabling more effective collaborations.