Samaritans unveils plan to future proof the life-saving charity and reply extra calls from these in disaster

Today, Samaritans proclaims three areas of change that can form the suicide prevention charity’s future and guarantee it’s right here for extra individuals.

Samaritans volunteers final 12 months responded to greater than 3.3 million calls. With extra individuals experiencing suicidal ideas and makes an attempt of their lifetime*, the necessity for Samaritans’ life-saving service is unfortunately each pressing and long run.

Despite volunteers answering a name for assist each 10 seconds, there are occasions of the day when individuals in disaster can’t get via. The charity that stops suicide via the ability of human connection is decided to vary this and attain a spot the place nobody waits longer than 5 minutes to talk to a volunteer.

With this ambition, the charity engaged with roughly 23,000 volunteers on proposals that will allow them to reply extra calls, have extra volunteers on responsibility and be there for extra individuals of their darkest moments.

Following months of listening to volunteer suggestions, Samaritans is asserting the adoption of ‘pathfinder’ areas to vary the footprint of branches within the UK, the growth of their on-line chat service and pilot distant volunteering.

Pathfinders

When Samaritans was launched over 70 years in the past, the service was arrange round native phone numbers for native branches. Branches have lengthy since been a part of a nationwide community, so callers are related to the primary obtainable volunteer no matter location. Yet regardless of answering a name each 10 seconds, there are specific instances of day, often in the course of the night time when there usually are not sufficient volunteers obtainable, leaving callers ready too lengthy to get the assist they want.

In an effort to enhance service protection and meet demand for the service now and sooner or later, Samaritans will undertake a take a look at and study strategy in three ‘pathfinder’ areas which had been discovered to have an acceptable mixture of department areas (city and rural) and sizes: South East England, Yorkshire and Humberside and Scotland. From April 2026, the charity will work with volunteer leaders to search out one of the best mannequin for the long run, which can embrace the  scaling up, mergers and regrettably closures of some branches. The learnings will then form subsequent steps in the remainder of the UK however this is not going to be earlier than the tip of 2028.

Online chat

Samaritans can be immediately confirming plans that can see the charity’s on-line chat service expanded, with the ambition to make the service obtainable 24/7, 12 months a 12 months, identical to the phone service.

The on-line chat service has been working as a pilot and along with its core phone helpline is persistently in excessive demand. Increasing the capability to reply calls on the helpline and scaling up the web chat service subsequently has the best potential to assist individuals feeling suicidal.

Over current years, the way in which we talk has modified and Samaritans responded to the rising desire for fast messaging by launching a web based chat pilot in 2020. Currently, on-line chat is just offered for restricted hours, 6 days per week however Samaritans’ intention is to make this obtainable to everybody, each hour of day by day, identical to the helpline.

Remote volunteering

Samaritans is constructed upon the dedication of volunteers from all walks of life. As the world adjustments, Samaritans should evolve and adapt with it to verify its volunteering mannequin is sustainable so the charity will proceed to be right here for individuals immediately and sooner or later.

Increasing volunteering alternatives is a vital means for Samaritans to thrive, not simply survive. Volunteering from dwelling affords extra flexibility which may entice individuals who wish to volunteer for the charity however are presently prevented from doing so if it could solely be performed in department. The pilot of non-obligatory distant volunteering will concentrate on rising the variety of volunteers obtainable in the course of the night time, which is routinely probably the most difficult shift to fill.

Samaritans is asserting it’s going to start a robustly evaluated two-stage pilot of distant volunteering. A pattern of 20 volunteers will participate in a pre-test section to make sure the protection and efficacy of the service earlier than 120 volunteers participate in a pilot in early 2026. Remote volunteering will solely be rolled out absolutely as an non-obligatory, extra volunteering alternative if the pilot is deemed to be secure for volunteers and callers.

Julie Bentley, Chief Executive of Samaritans, stated: “We believe the power of human connection can prevent suicide and our volunteers offer a life-saving service to those in crisis, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These two things will never change at Samaritans, and they underpin our founding purpose to reduce deaths by suicide. Someone takes their own life every 90 minutes and that is something our charity wants to do all we can to change. We’ve listened to our volunteers, and their voice has helped shape how we make Samaritans fit for the future and the steps needed to get there.

“Although making these changes will be challenging for us, it is a challenge we are determined to face into. The plans we announce today will help us be here for more people who need our support, in the moment they need us the most. A moment too late isn’t an option for us. With the incredible service of our wonderful volunteers and the support of the public, we can respond to even more people in need, so no one feels like they have no choice but to take their own life. Together, we can prevent suicide.”

The adjustments introduced immediately are UK solely and the engagement course of with volunteers for Ireland will start in 2027.

ENDS

Notes to editors

For any press enquiries or interview requests, please contact [email protected] or name 0208 394 8300 (or if out of hours 07943 809162)

* https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/adult-psychiatric-morbidity-survey/survey-of-mental-health-and-wellbeing-england-2023-24

About Samaritans 

• Every 10 seconds, Samaritans responds to a name for assist.
• Samaritans volunteers can be found round the clock to hear and assist individuals. They received’t choose or let you know what to do.
• Anyone can contact Samaritans, free, any time from any cellphone on 116 123, even a cellular with out credit score. This quantity received’t present up in your cellphone invoice. Or you’ll be able to go to www.samaritans.org
• Samaritans is a charity and it’s the general public’s type donations and round 23,000 volunteers that imply we’re all the time there for anybody struggling to manage. Find out how one can assist us or volunteer with us.