General News
28 December, 2023
Lifeline Loddon Mallee call for volunteers
Lifeline Loddon Mallee is looking to expand its crisis support team to ensure people in the community receive vital support they need, when they need it. New volunteers will go through training to be able to answer local 13 11 14 hotline calls for...
Lifeline Loddon Mallee is looking to expand its crisis support team to ensure people in the community receive vital support they need, when they need it.
New volunteers will go through training to be able to answer local 13 11 14 hotline calls for immediate support as Lifeline aims to answer an extra 9000 calls across the region next year.
Lifeline’s support line receives a call every 30 seconds with a heavy pressure supplied to its regional branches. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports people in rural communities are two times more likely to take their life by suicide.
Lifeline Loddon Mallee executive officer Lisa Renato said additions to the crisis support team are needed to keep up with the demand of the service.
“All of our crisis support workers are volunteers, so we are very reliant on them to take as many calls as they can,” she said.
“Since COVID, more people know its ok to not be ok and are more willing to reach out for support — more people are reaching out before they get to what we call an imminent phase and we want to be physically able to answer more calls.
“Most volunteers generally do a three hour shift a week or even a four hour shift a fortnight if they have to travel, it matters on what people are happy to do.”
Training takes around a year to complete for new volunteers dependent on their availability. Ms Renato calls it a rewarding and comforting process which is open to people with no prior experience.
“We begin with very theory based training where new volunteers learn about specific topics and skills that they then roleplay with fellow students,” she said.
“Then they move into placement where they are coached one on one with a more experienced volunteer — then they go into an internship where they are taking calls from people that are seeking help, yet they are being heavily supported.
“We try to give our volunteers access to lots of skills and give them opportunities for ongoing development.
“The one thing that I hear from our volunteers all the time is they feel they get so much more out of it then they give.”
Someone who agrees with that sentiment is Lifeline Loddon Mallee volunteer trainer Julie Holland who has volunteered in crisis support for eight years and says it makes her feel at home.
“I joined because I wanted to be around people with a like minded approach to community — I believe that we all have a responsibility to look after the community which we receive benefit from,” she said.
“You walk away with more respect for people doing it tougher then you will ever know, you walk away with more compassion then you ever thought possible.
“This enriches my life, it makes me a more well rounded person, a better wife, a better mother, a better friend, a better colleague.”
Ms Holland said new volunteers are vital in ensuring Lifeline continues to excel.
“We love the fact that when we have new people join, they bring in fresh ideas and a new approach to things at times,” she said.
“We have a diverse range of people who call, who need support, so we need a diverse range of people from all walks of life who have different life experiences to support them.”
To find out more information and to apply to become a crisis support volunteer, visit www.lifelinelm.com/
volunteer
If you or a loved one need support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue at 1300 22 4636 or www.beyondblue.org.au.