Crisis Christmas Samaritan Volunteer Application form
For 7 days every year between the 23rd and 30th of December the charity Crisis opens a number of Christmas centres in London. These centres offer companionship and support to over 1000 homeless and vulnerably-housed people at a time of year which can be particularly lonely for those without a home or family. Samaritans have been offering emotional support at these centres for many years.
Every year Samaritans Festival Branch organise a team to work at the event, this team consists of Samaritans from all over the country. This year we are again asking for Samaritan volunteers who would like to work at this event. Samaritan Volunteers work in the shelters, mixing with and offering emotional support to the Guests, under the guidance of an experienced Shift Leader. Last year a team of over 100 Samaritans from all over the UK made contact with over 1100 people, in over 200 of these contacts suicidal thoughts were expressed. Samaritans offer emotional support 24-hours a day for the duration of the event (except for the last morning).
At the bottom of this page you will find some experiences from other volunteers who have worked at Crisis Christmas, this will give you an insight into what it can be like to work at Crisis Christmas.
If you would like to volunteer as a Samaritan more information can be found on our signup form linked to at the top of this page, the following points may also be helpful: -
· The event can be challenging. Previous experience of talking with callers outside of the Centre is helpful, but not essential.
· If you are thinking of working at the event you MUST discuss this with, and get the approval of your Branch Director.
· Please remember your commitment to your own branch’s rota before volunteering for this event.
· We ask for a commitment of ideally 48 hours (4 to 6 shifts). The shifts are usually 4 hours long. You are invited to tell us the days that you are available, and we will confirm with you what days we would like you to work. If you are available for more than 2 days please let us know and we can use you where we have the most need. Please wait for our confirmation of the days that you are needed before booking travel, etc.
· More details about the Crisis Christmas event can be found at the following website address http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/volunteering-at-crisis-christmas-2009.html
To Volunteer
To volunteer for Crisis Christmas as a Samaritan and you have web access please fill in the form linked to at the top of this page, this is the preferred way of registering your interest. Please contact us ASAP, ideally before the end of November. This year we will be trying to spread the volunteers evenly over the seven days, so please apply early as we may be up to capacity at certain times.
If you do not have web access please contact Dennis Stott from Festival Branch, by email at crisis@festivalsamaritans.org or by phone on 07941 424154, (It is fine to leave a message, but remember to leave your name and a contact phone number).
Please do not give out this volunteering information to any non-Samaritans. Any queries that you get from non-Samaritans about volunteering at Crisis Christmas should be addressed to Crisis on volunteering@crisis.org.uk or 0870 011 3335.
We will let you know further details of the exact location of this year’s Crisis Christmas as soon as we can, this is not normally known until early December, but it will be in central London. This will include details of where the Samaritan volunteers will be staying. Be warned that our accommodation, (separate from the Crisis volunteers and guests) is often basic – you will probably be sleeping on a floor.
Working at Crisis Christmas is physically and emotionally tiring but a very rewarding experience. If you are unsure whether you would like to work at the event, we encourage you to talk it over with your Branch Director and look at some of the information posted below, including previous Samaritans experiences.