Review Time
I read some of these reviews with a very heavy heart but feel I have to respond from the Samaritan point of view. I can only however speak from the knowledge I have of my own Branch. I was a listening volunteer for 17 years and have to say the training I received was exemplary. Ongoing training is mandatory for all volunteers and covers a multitude of relevant topics. But Samaritans are not counsellors. The organisation, I agree has changed considerably over the years but the premise remains the same. To offer a 24/7 helpline for those in emotional distress. Samaritans are not there to discuss politics, illegal immigrants or the State of the Nation. Nor are they there to be verbally abused or to be used as sex-line! Volunteers offer their services free and freely. Many work full time and then go on to do a 6hr night duty! I do realise not every caller will receive the best of attention or what they are hoping for be it on the phone, chat or email. But the caller always has the right to end the call and call again maybe gelling better with the next volunteer who answers the phone. As for long wait times it should be remembered that although endeavouring to always be available Samaritans don't have infinite resources in the way of volunteers especially at unsociable times of day. I hope this review had helped set some issues straight. Thank you.
Zero pointsDisgusting unhelpful narcissist volunteers who need to get a lifeWhat can they do for a suicidal or depressed bur pushed me further to the edge put the phone down on me told me yo go away claiming to be a charity with high philosophies they do not live up to complaint to paid heads met with threatening email back and barred me from service will not disclose abussive volunteers name or give branch area but willing to threaten me back on a private number while they had my number and email not confidential don't give to this scam business charity directors take directors salary from kind public donations do not call them if you are suicidal please
I called once before and was very disappointed… I’m so glad I called today. After having an awful panic attack and needing someone to speak to, the conversation I had with the kind man I spoke to lifted a lot of fears and worries and made me feel heard. Thank you
Really awful not fit for purpose at present but I genuinely hope and pray the service can be improved as it should be a vital lifeline to people in distress. Some of them are quite rude even. One of them put the phone down on me and caused me to break down emotionally. I was in distress but she wasn't interested she didn't even send her best wishes. The people that man the phones are only volunteers as I understand it and are not trained nor able to provide accurate advice. So it is just a matter of the call receivers personal opinions. The secondary problem is that Samaritans are not qualified to give medical advice but yet my GP constantly refers me to Samaritans. I have physical pain and emotional problems due to long term physical illness so the Doctor says ring Samaritans. When I ring them she just says "I don't think there is anything we can do for you". As it exist's in it's current form I would not donate 1 penny to this charity. I don't know whether the top people in the charity get paid and would like to know as they are not running things properly. They need to tell the NHS that they dont give medical advice as they don't. I am being sent around in circles by my GP and this charity no body in either organisation is interested in helping me or even talking about my problems. It is disgusting and a fraud to say Samaritans care about people. It is just not true. I know it ultimately goes back to money as the NHS is just crippled by overloading so the government needs to put more money into the health service and pay consultants and managers so much less for what they don't do. Samaritans please make a review of your organisation and work with the NHS, tell them you don't give medical advice so GPs cant fob people off to you, contact Government and ask for more support so you could provide a good service; a more comprehensive service. What we need is a Samaritan's service people could rely on and turn to in times of trouble and distress, not the miserable excuse of a shambles you are offering at the moment.
I called not being sure what to expect. I came into the call feeling so anxious I thought I was gonna throw up. I got space to just keep talking, and when I apologised for talking so much and dropping so much stuff, I was given reassurance. They made it clear they would listen as long as I needed basically. Although sometimes there were some silences, I didn't experience this as uncomfortable. It just felt like we were giving some space to all these big feelings to float away. I just talked and talked and the person on the phone listened and was understanding at the right moments, and asking me helpful questions about my feelings.I ended the conversation feeling so much calmer. My situation didn't change over the time of the call, but my outlook certainly did.
"Do you work"?? . Snarled the unenthusiastic voice at the other end of this unhelpful helpline. Minutes after I had stated that I worked in the hospitality industry and entimtted that a lot of my issues were work related. The rest of the call dripped on like this. I would say something about my life circumstances, the arrogant imbicil would respond as if they delbritaly hadn't heard what I said. The recorded message at the start of their calls. claims that they are are there to listen not to to judge. In fact they offer neither and engage in the opposite of those behaviors. So they should be taken to the high court and suspended from operating as a charity. Let alone a helpline, that judging by the submissions on here, actually does more harm than good.Getting back to my last experience. The bot trained volunteer asked me what I would be doing for the rest of the day. I guess they have never heard of shift work.As someone with poor mental health I have not found one of these robotic helpines to do anything other then gas light personal experiences and make a lot of silly and patronizing assumptions about callers.I guess few of them actually work themselves or have had to in challenging or extracting environments for no great reward. Their telephone script must have been written in the 1950s. They palm people off to other failures like the CAB or The Jobcentre. So much for not telling people what to do.The ultimate aim appears to actually be a brick wall. So people can feel even more disempowered at the calls end. While it's another days unearned wealth for the CEOS and a green light for the narcissistic volunteers to keep taking calls. For their own egotistic needs.
I rang them in desperation and told them I was ready to take an abundance of tablets. She went silent, never spoke to me. I asked for help multiple times but there was nothing. Luckily my sister turned up. If someone calls the samaritans, they are rock bottom. N9 help. Nowhere else to go
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