Time to help save others
Samaritans Chief Executive RUTH SUTHERLAND explains how the Million Hour Challenge will help to further cement the lifesaving partnership the charity has enjoyed with the rail industry for almost ten years
Samaritans Chief Executive RUTH SUTHERLAND outlines some of the volunteering opportunities on offer from the Million Hour Challenge.
In 2010 Samaritans began working with Network Rail with the aim of preventing suicides and supporting passengers and staff affected by them. Since the launch of the partnership, several thousand rail staff have been trained in suicide prevention that has resulted in over 400 reported lifesaving interventions; it’s believed that many more have gone unreported.
This has led to a large number of major awards being won in recognition of the strength of the partnership and the effectiveness of the training being provided, while also generating a steady stream of new
recruits for Samaritans who were eager to build on their first taste of suicide prevention.
The partnership is now set to run even deeper following the launch of the Million Hour Challenge (MHC).
Samaritans Chief Executive Ruth Sutherland says: “The partnership has been cutting edge over the last few years because of the way the rail industry has really embraced its contribution to suicide prevention. Over the last nine years it has grown from an initiative to a comprehensive programme, and now European operators quite often come to the UK to see what we’re doing.
“Lots of companies, including Network Rail, let staff get involved in volunteering and we’ve had a steady trickle of volunteers from the rail industry since 2010, but uptake is still quite low. That means that providers like us are either not providing attractive enough opportunities or not making them viable, so now we need to be more creative.
“Volunteering hasn’t kept up with how flexible people’s lives have become, so that’s what we want to try out and that’s where the MHC could help us.”
At the MHC launch event at King’s Cross, on March 27, Sutherland described it as a
People who volunteer through work are happier, healthier and likely to be more engaged with their employer – it gives coming to work an even greater purpose. Ruth Sutherland, Chief Executive, Samaritans
‘re-imagining of corporate volunteering’ as the campaign seeks to secure a total of one million hours in voluntary time and £ 2.5 million in donations from the rail industry by the end of Control Period 6 in March 2024.
Samaritans relies on volunteers to ensure that its 201 branches nationwide remain operational and so that more than five million phone calls from people in distress can be answered each year.
As well as supporting the vital work of the unique charity, Sutherland believes the benefits of MHC will be mutual as an increase in volunteers helps to reduce the stigma of mental health issues in the rail industry.
Furthermore, the campaign is backed by research that shows volunteering can help people’s general physical wellbeing, improve mental health, create a better work/life balance and generate satisfaction from helping others.
She adds: “The MHC is another way for us to be cutting edge by re-imagining
corporate volunteering. Someone calls Samaritans every six seconds, so there is increasing demand and we need volunteers from all backgrounds.
“We know that our current way of volunteering is quite demanding, so we have set about overhauling this. The MHC will be an experiment in how to attract people while providing a ‘staircase’ opportunity for people to get involved, and then to encourage others to come forward.
“It will allow Samaritans to make an even bigger impact in suicide prevention, as well as bringing the benefits of volunteering to many more people in new and imaginative ways. But we’re hoping that everyone will be a winner because we will benefit from a new source of volunteers and the rail industry should get happier staff.
“When you give to others, it makes you feel good. People who volunteer through work are happier, healthier and likely to be more engaged with their employer – it gives coming to work an even greater purpose.”
The partnership has been cutting edge over the last few years because of the way the rail industry has really embraced its contribution to suicide prevention. Ruth Sutherland, Chief Executive, Samaritans
The key attraction of MHC is that rail employees can get involved in a number of ways (see case studies) by becoming a ‘listener’, or by providing a number of other important functions for the charity, such as administrative support or fundraising.
To begin with, everyone is encouraged to complete two online learning courses, including an active listening course which aims to provide the knowledge and confidence to start a conversation with someone who needs to talk.
She concludes: “We are looking for diversity as well as volume so that we can keep up with demand. We offer a 24/7 service and it is often difficult to get people to work during the night, but people in rail are used to shift work and providing a constant service.
“There are lots of skills and different roles we’re looking to fill and we know that lots of people will have technical skills as well as interpersonal. For everyone answering the phone someone has to raise the money to pay for the heat and light around them and to provide the technical support, so we’re looking for support volunteers as well as more listeners.”