Resource Tag: SAMARITANS

This presentation described ways in which the means of providing emotional support to the suicidal, by Samaritan volunteers, has been extended to include befriending by e-mail. The focus of the presentation was on the work that had been done in the previous 3 years in developing the service which now operates within 12 branches of […]

“The Health of the Nation” is a national strategy which identifies & sets targets for 5 key areas of public health within England & Wales. The performance measure for mental illness is the suicide rate & the targets are a 15% reduction in the national rate & a 33% reduction in suicide by people with […]

How a volunteer in an organization such as the Samaritans provides emotional support for suicidal people is discussed in this article. Examples of conversations between callers and volunteers are given. The author suggests that the best thing a volunteer can do is not focus on a caller’s story, but rather their feelings. One must think […]

This article was also published in Befriending Worldwide, no.4, 1997, pp.4-5.

In 1994, the Cheltenham (UK) branch of the Samaritans started using the Internet on a trial basis. The level of response, especially in terms of callers in distress, turned out to be greater than anticipated. In response to high volume of contacts, one or two other Samaritan centres are going online to assist with the […]

This article discusses the widespread stress, depression, & trauma in Croatia & the resulting high suicide rate. The author identifies high risk groups & discusses the lack of response to the probelm by the government. A number of non-government agencies such as Psychological Help in Zagreb work hard to address the issue, despite the lack […]

This article discusses findings from a conference on Suicide Prevention in China. The key speakers & the highlights from their papers are presented. Befrienders International’s work is highlighted. .

Befrienders International’s latest study determined that the elderly suicide rate in Hong Kong is 4 to 5 times above the average. Possible reasons for the increase are described including changing attitudes toward the elderly, lack of a social welfare system, & the need for a more supportive home environment. Based on the findings, recommendations are […]

Since 1994 the Samaritans, in association with Befrienders International, use e-mail befriending as an additional means for offering emotional support to those at risk of committing suicide. A message about the service is posted on one of the Internet user-group “bulletin boards” along with an anonymous address option. They receive about 350 contacts a month. […]

This booklet, written for adolescents, discusses youth and stress, things that can cause stress, e.g. put downs, signs that may indicate a teen is overstressed, the importance of getting help, and healthy ways of coping with stress. The booklet ends with a series of 5 questions designed to help teens evaluate their own stress levels, […]

This study examined the effectiveness of the classroom implementation of an existing teenage suicide prevention program within public school settings in Rhode Island. Information is provided on the study objectives, study methodology & test results. Conclusions & recommendations are discussed. A teacher’s manual by G.J. Fincik is part of the appendix as is an act […]

Reviews the operations of the United Kingdom & Ireland Samaritans. In 1996, they received over 4 million telephone calls, 3500 contacts on email & more than 130,000 drop-in visits. This increase of 9% over the previous year is partly due to the success of their One Number service. Dependent on 20,900 volunteers, this number fell […]

This article discusses the contribution of volunteers in times of crisis/catastrophe & in providing permanent befriending services specifically designed for local communities. Situations from remote rural areas & urban centres in various countries are described under four factors: accessibility of service; availability; acceptability given political & military constraints & cultural differences; & adaptability to local […]

This presentation outlines the Samaritans of Boston approach to capturing data on telephone services, the analysis process, and the application for volunteer and call management. It describes the custom-designed Scranton form used in data collection which incorporates commentary space with the data fields. Data collected during one month is discussed. Information on different call duration […]

This article provides a snapshot of The Samaritans of Southern Alberta, (the only Canadian member organization of Befrienders International), against a backdrop of other suicide prevention activities in Alberta. Samaritan program activities, volunteer issues and collaboration with other community agencies are discussed. The benefits of implementing a series of limitations on specific chronic telephone callers […]

The primary aim of Befrienders International is to be available to offer emotional support to those passing through personal crisis & in imminent danger of taking their own lives. This article discusses 3 factors that characterize the suicidal (ambivalence, sense of isolation, & feelings of compulsion), suggests ways for crisis line volunteers to interact with […]

This information pamphlet for parents examines the causes of stress & depression in adolescence, common adolescent behaviour, signs of depression, warning signs of suicide, & discusses what parents can do if their teenagers are depressed or suicidal.

Befrienders Cairo opened in 1992. This article discusses the challenges of a new service offered in English & Arabic. Volunteers now represent 15 nationalities. The idea of support through non-judgmental, advice-free listening is new to Egypt, a society in which authority figures abound, the concept of disinterested help is often misunderstood, & advice-giving is expected […]

Repeat callers represent a major challenge to crisis lines, from both organizational & volunteer perspectives. This article examines the problem & characteristics of repeat callers & reports on development & implementation of a policy by the Samaritan branch in Southern Alberta to restrict repeat callers. Analysis of operations 5 months after policy implementation showed that […]

This annual report reviews the operations of the Hong Kong Samaritan Befrienders. A comprehensive analysis of suicides during 1994 is also provided. In 1994, there were 750 suicide deaths in Hong Kong, an increase of 141 compared to 1993. The suicide rate was 12.37 per 100,000 population. Suicide rates increased in all age groups. The […]

This program brochure from the Samaritans of Southern Alberta outlines who the Samaritans are, who calls their service, how crisis line volunteers are trained, the responsibilities of volunteers, how the program is funded, & how the Samaritans work in the community. The seven principles & seven practices of Befrienders International are listed in point form.