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A lot of people think that they have got the right stuff to be a Samaritan. "Oh, I can listen to people. Yeah, I can do this. I'll be a Samaritan." The training and the selection process to be a Samaritan is quite strict. We look for people who empathise, non-judgmental, can listen to some things that at some points are quite terrible, quite harrowing, quite distressing and have the ability to not have it in their head, to help deal with that. But at the end of the shift, you will pass it on and discuss it. We are not supermen, we are not superwomen, we haven't got a big S on our underpants on the outside. We are just general people that have stood up to be counted that we are prepared to listen to people. Some people think if they join the Samaritans it will find them their answer to their problems. "Why did my mate, my brother, my husband commit suicide." No, you are not gonna find it that way. You have got to be receptive.
I've been a Samaritan for 6 years and it... I mean, there are sometimes it can be challenging. It can be very, very rewarding. And you hear some funny things, you hear some quite harrowing things, but you are there to listen. You have just got to give some people the time. And it's the right thing to do if you think you can do it. All you got to do just look on the internet, find the Samaritan branch and fill in the... And contact them. You can go online and then go for an interview and then see where it goes. There are other roles within the Samaritans. They haven't all got to be listeners. They can be support roles, a fundraising role... Loads of roles. Even if you are the guy that comes in and tops up the biscuit barrel, you are doing your bit.
