WHENEVER there’s a story in newspapers or on television regarding mental health, you see a disclaimer at the bottom.
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One of those disclaimers points people to Lifeline.
In essence Lifeline is a national register of phone operators who are trained to listen to people’s problems and, where possible, assist.
In Dubbo, the two phones are manned by volunteers most days and they take calls from all parts of the country.
With RUOK Day and World Suicide Awareness Day coming up next week, Lifeline Central West is calling for more people to come forward and help.
“People sometimes get it in their head that we only deal with potential suicides, but it’s far from that,” Lifeline Central West Crisis Support Services manager Stephanie Robinson said.
“That is obviously part of the job but really, on any given day, our CS volunteers don’t know what they’re going to get.
“It can be a highly-challenging task but it can be highly rewarding as well.
It can be a highly-challenging task but it can be highly rewarding as well.
- Stephanie Robinson
“At the moment we have about 10 people that can man the two phones in the office. I’m hoping that through this drive and with the awareness of the situation through RUOK Day and World Suicide Awareness Day we might get another 20 put their hands up to train.”
Close to 2100 calls have been answered this month by Lifeline Central West volunteers in offices across Dubbo, Orange and Bathurst.
With such a volume of help sought, it’s only natural the organisation is seeking people from all different walks of life to become involved.
“We have people call us in different situations, from different socio-economic backgrounds, with different problems,” Ms Robinson said.
“We’re hopeful of getting people from as many different walks of life in our centres to give us that wide range of life experience to help as many people as possible.”
Anybody interested in gaining more information about being a crisis supporter is urged to visit Lifeline Central West’s Dubbo branch in Darling Street, or email srobinson@lifelinecentralwest.org.au