J‘ ust that one little bit of positive small talk can go so far’
SAMARITANS HAS LAUNCHED ITS ‘SMALL TALK SAVES LIVES’ CAMPAIGN, FOCUSING ON RAILWAY STATIONS AND OTHER PUBLIC SETTINGS, AS RESEARCH REVEALS MORE THAN HALF OF ADULTS IN THE EAST MIDLANDS WOULD DODGE A STRANGER JUST TO AVOID SMALL TALK
NEW figures show that more than half of adults in the East Midlands avoid engaging with someone they don’t know simply to avoid small talk. Suicide prevention charity Samaritans also revealed that more than one in five (23 per cent) are worried they would say the wrong thing when engaging with someone.
It comes as the charity launches a new campaign to empower the public to trust their instincts and start a conversation if they think someone needs help in railway stations and other public settings.
‘Small Talk Saves Lives’ reassures the public that a little small talk like ‘do you know where I can grab a cuppa?’ can be all it takes to interrupt someone’s suicidal thoughts and could help set them on the journey to recovery.
People might worry that they will say the wrong thing, but the charity insists saying something is better than saying nothing.
Over the next few weeks, Samaritans volunteers will also be hosting engagement events at local stations across the network and in communities, speaking to people about the importance of small talk.
Bessie knows how powerful small talk can be. Whilst working as a train guard, she spotted someone in need of help.
She said: “Just that one little bit of positive small talk can go so far. They caught my eye because it was a lot of flitting around, looking around, looking at their phone. Deep down, you have got all that adrenaline going and you’re thinking, ‘what should I say?’ “I had found something about what they were wearing, and it was a case of just going over and saying, ‘Oh, my goodness, I absolutely love what you’re wearing. Where have you got that from?’ It was just a short, sharp answer of ‘I don’t know.’
“That’s when you can kind of edge your way in to say, ‘Are you okay?.’ Just that one little bit of positive small talk, and it can go so far.
“It was a positive outcome. Take that chance because it is the most important and pivotal thing you could do.”
With more than one in three (38 per cent) confessing to not knowing what to say to initiate conversation through small talk, Samaritans is calling on people across the UK to give it a go, as a simple comment about the weather could be all it takes to save someone’s life.
Samaritans CEO Julie Bentley said: “Every day, there are people across Great Britain who are in distress and need support.
“Our Small Talk Saves Lives campaign empowers people to trust their instincts and have the confidence to act in a way that could save a life.
“To mark the start of the fourweek campaign, we are launching our Small Talk Salon at London’s King’s Cross railway station, seeing our remarkable volunteers raise awareness of the campaign, whilst encouraging commuters to pluck up the courage to use small talk, to support those in need of help.”
For more information and tips, visit Samaritans.org/ smalltalksaveslives, or on social media using #Smalltalksaveslives.
Our campaign empowers people to trust their instincts and have the confidence to act in a way that could save a life Julie Bentley