In celebration of National Volunteering Week (May 15-21), Lifeline Central Coast has shone the light on the critical role its volunteers play in giving hope and connection to people in crisis across the region and calling for more people to join.
CEO Robert Sams said volunteers were central to the way Lifeline offered its crisis support, mental health counselling and other suicide prevention and suicide bereavement support services.
Lifeline has volunteers serving as local 13 11 14 crisis supporters, supporting its 11 op-shops and helping at fundraising and community events.
Graeme Wade has been a crisis supporter for more than 10 years.
The 63-year-old Berkeley Vale resident works full-time and his wife has also volunteered as a crisis supporter.
A passionate bushwalker, in 2012 he walked the Kokoda Track as a fundraiser for Lifeline.
Wade was motivated to do so after a work colleague took his own life.
“I decided then that I needed the skills to know how to approach someone who I saw was possibly struggling and to never be in the situation again where I wasn’t confident in reaching out and asking if they needed help,” he said.
Wade said being a crisis supporter had taught him that listening was a powerful way to help someone who was going through difficult challenges in their life.
“We all walk with a limp,” he said.
“The wonderful thing about Lifeline is that we don’t try to provide the answers to every caller’s problem.
“To just be with someone is very special; having empathy is important.”
Wade said a quote from a book he was reading – Kindness by Kath Koschel – summed up his motivation to serve: “Not only does practising kindness help others, it also makes you feel really bloody good.”
He said a caller to 13 11 14 recently said to him, ‘you saved my life tonight’.”
“That was pretty special feedback,” Wade said.
Sams said the theme of National Volunteer Week was “The Change Makers”.
“Our volunteers, like Graeme, certainly are that; helping to change lives and have someone there for people in the darkest moments,” he said.
“We urgently need more volunteers to help us, particularly as 13 11 14 crisis supporters where we are struggling to answer every call for help amid a rising number of calls.”
Sams said other charities and community and sporting clubs were facing issues because of a declining number of volunteers, exacerbated during the COVID 19 pandemic.
“Understandably, we lost some volunteers during COVID lockdowns and many people have other commitments or are working to stay ahead of rising cost of living pressures,” he said.
“If people are able to volunteer, even for a few hours, we’d love to hear from them.
“It is a great way to give back and meet new people.
“We are very flexible in fitting people’s volunteering with us around their other work and family commitments.”
“Volunteering to become a crisis supporter does involve a serious time commitment and up to 170 hours of training.
“A shop volunteer makes a big difference because their support means more of our shop proceeds can go to funding local services.”
People wishing to find out more about volunteering with Lifeline should call 1300 152 854 or visit centralcoast.lifeline.org.au/get-involved.
National Volunteer Week started in 1989 and is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering.
Nine Australians die every day by suicide and more than 65,000 Australians make a suicide attempt each year.
Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians between the ages of 15 and 44.
Calls to Lifeline are up 25 per cent since the start of the COVID 19 pandemic.
Lifeline offers 24 hour crisis support- phone 13 11 14, text 0477 13 11 14 or chat online at www.lifeline.org.au.
For free Lifeline counselling appointment bookings call 1300 152 854 or email centralcoast.lifeline.org.au.
Source:
Lifeline Central Coast