Ballymena Samaritans volunteer to help people who feel like they are struggling to cope. This month Ballymena Samaritans has been encouraging people to SHUSH. SHUSH is an easy way to learn listening tips and has been presented as part of the Samaritans Talk to Us campaign.
Read more below:
Talk to Us, Samaritans annual month-long awareness raising campaign, is on a mission to improve the UK/Ireland’s listening skills to help us all stay connected. Samaritans volunteers at various locations will be highlighting the support they provide for the community, which centres on good listening skills. Every six seconds, someone in the UK and Ireland contacts Samaritans, and every 90 minutes in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, someone takes their own life.
Samaritans believes that listening is crucial to helping people find their way through their problems, and the charity would like to encourage people to seek help early, rather than when they reach a crisis.
Ballymena Samaritans encourage us to SHUSH
- Show you care: focus just on the other person, make eye contact, put away your phone
- Have patience: it may take time and several attempts before a person is ready to open up
- Use open questions: that need more than a yes/no answer, & follow up e.g. ‘Tell me more’
- Say it back: to check you’ve understood, but don’t interrupt or offer a solution
- Have courage: don’t be put off by a negative response and, most importantly, don’t be afraid to leave silence
Marie from Ballymena branch said:
“We listen. That’s what we’re here to do and sometimes it can be challenging. But you don’t have to be a Samaritan to get better at listening to family, friends and colleagues. We’re a culture of people who love to give advice, love to give opinions and quite frankly love the sound of our own voices. But this year we’re asking people to SHUSH! and listen better. 60 years of Samaritans expertise has taught us that just listening is the greatest gift you can give to somebody.”
If you are struggling to cope and need someone to talk to then please call Samaritans on 028 2565 0000.
