Hello,
First off, I want to apologize for my poor English, I am Canadian.
I have an opportunity to be perhaps a speaker/helper phone for Suicide Prevention Association located where I live. Basically, if I am selected, I will do crisis intervention with suicidal people, with those bereaved by the suicide of a close one and with people who know someone who is suicidal and who do not know how to help them. Those that I will help will call the organization (for help, it's a hotline) and I will respond to their phone calls, 4 hours per week. I am not selected yet, I must first attend an information meeting on Dec. 19 at a secret address - fill out forms and if I am selected, I commit to one year. If I am selected, I will have a training and in my first hours of volunteering, I will not be alone, i'll have the support of a more experienced volunteer.
I have been suicidal myself 9 years ago so I know how it feels like, partly, even I am happy today in my life. I want to become a social worker eventually so I think this is a great opportunity to gain experience and feel more confident. I do not expect to save those people's lives (even if some of them might say I did), I do not expect to destroy their lives neither (even if some of them might say I did). I won't fix their lives. They'll do it, if they want to and if they decide to. I'll only be there to listen with empathy and offer support. I do not take the lives of these people on my shoulders.
For those of you who are experienced with suicide intervention, what can I expect? I know the meeting on dec. 19 will answer most of my questions but I want to have a hint before going to have an idea of what I should expect. I am only 20 and even if I have a lot of experience in volunteering, I have never done anything close to this. I just want to know if it's a too complex reality for me to deal with today, at my age with the little experience I have.
I'm waiting for your thoughts. Thanks everyone !
First off, I want to apologize for my poor English, I am Canadian.
I have an opportunity to be perhaps a speaker/helper phone for Suicide Prevention Association located where I live. Basically, if I am selected, I will do crisis intervention with suicidal people, with those bereaved by the suicide of a close one and with people who know someone who is suicidal and who do not know how to help them. Those that I will help will call the organization (for help, it's a hotline) and I will respond to their phone calls, 4 hours per week. I am not selected yet, I must first attend an information meeting on Dec. 19 at a secret address - fill out forms and if I am selected, I commit to one year. If I am selected, I will have a training and in my first hours of volunteering, I will not be alone, i'll have the support of a more experienced volunteer.
I have been suicidal myself 9 years ago so I know how it feels like, partly, even I am happy today in my life. I want to become a social worker eventually so I think this is a great opportunity to gain experience and feel more confident. I do not expect to save those people's lives (even if some of them might say I did), I do not expect to destroy their lives neither (even if some of them might say I did). I won't fix their lives. They'll do it, if they want to and if they decide to. I'll only be there to listen with empathy and offer support. I do not take the lives of these people on my shoulders.
For those of you who are experienced with suicide intervention, what can I expect? I know the meeting on dec. 19 will answer most of my questions but I want to have a hint before going to have an idea of what I should expect. I am only 20 and even if I have a lot of experience in volunteering, I have never done anything close to this. I just want to know if it's a too complex reality for me to deal with today, at my age with the little experience I have.
I'm waiting for your thoughts. Thanks everyone !