Listening volunteers can change the course of someone’s life. That’s where you come in.
They are there for anyone who needs someone. Every year, they spend over 900,000 hours responding to calls for help and they can change the course of someone’s life.
Anyone has it in them to be a Samaritan. You don’t 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’ve gone through difficult times yourself, what matters is that you want to help people – all kinds of people, from all walks of life.
You need to be 18 or over, so you need to see this not just as a short term role but something you're likely to do more long term.
Standard Life’s generous donation allows us to train approximately 400 more listening volunteers through the school, helping to ensure there is someone there to listen – now and into the future.
As part of the partnership with Standard Life, we have also specially trained their Vulnerable Customer Team through our Samaritans Training and Engagement Programmes (STEP), so that they can provide better support to their most vulnerable customers.
To aid with this, a special e-learning Listening Wheel module was created to support and celebrate Phoenix Group’s commitment to listening to customers, responding with empathy and caring in the moments that matter. It equips their colleagues with the skills to become better listeners, based on 70 years of Samaritans’ expertise in training.
Award winning
In July 2023 we won the Most Innovative Agency Partner category at the Awards for Innovation and Transformation at the Financial Services Forum for the Listening Wheel E-Learning module, in collaboration with Phoenix Group, Cowry Consulting and Can Studios.
Find out if being a listening volunteer is right for you
Help people at difficult times
Every 10 seconds someone contacts us. Every 10 seconds we can help someone turn their life around. As a listening volunteer you get the chance to make a real difference to someone’s future.
Get support every step of the way
You’ll receive full training to prepare you for the kinds of conversations you’ll have. And when you start out, you’ll have a mentor with you, to give you confidence you’re doing the right thing.
Learn to do something valuable
You’ll gain a range of new skills and the confidence to use them, including the ability to understand people and manage difficult conversations. Many employers value these kinds of skills.
Find out more and start the enquiry process
Become a volunteer today
Being a Samaritan is by far my favourite way to spend my time. I do a shift every Friday night and sometimes pick up more in the week. There’s never been a shift in three years as a volunteer where I’ve thought – ‘I don’t want to go to Samaritans today’. You often wake up having a ‘Monday’ feeling, but with Samaritans I never do.
Kay, Samaritans listening volunteer