Lifeline launches volunteer recruitment campaign

Lifeline launches volunteer recruitment campaign

Lifeline launches volunteer recruitment campaign during Volunteer Awareness Week

Click on the image to view the website and the full size image CEO Jo Denvir July2 Lifeline Aotearoa CEO, Jo Denvir

More images are available in the online version[http://spinitwide.com/go/1319bd]

Lifeline Aotearoa is searching for new volunteers to train for its telephone counselling programme, as the organisation celebrates this year’s Volunteer Awareness Week.

One of the country’s leading providers of community helplines and counselling support, Lifeline Aotearoa provides helpline services for many Government programmes such as the John Kirwan depression.org.nz campaign and the ‘It’s Not OK!’ family violence campaign. However its traditional services, such as the 24/7 Lifeline Helpline, are manned by community volunteers.

It has been a challenging 12 months for New Zealanders, and this has resulted in a growing use of services such as Lifeline. “There are so many things that make life difficult at the moment” says Lifeline Aotearoa CEO, Jo Denvir. “We’re in a very difficult economic time, with families facing increasing financial pressures. Then there are events such as the Christchurch earthquakes, which affect people all around the country, and place huge demand on services such as Lifeline. Often people feel they don’t want to burden their loved ones with their problems, so they reach out to us. It’s so important that people talk things through, and that’s where a free service like Lifeline comes in.”

Lifeline Aotearoa has over 200 volunteers, who complete a comprehensive training programme and then work 3 hour shifts according to their availability. “Our volunteers undergo fantastic training that benefits them in all aspects of their daily lives,” says Ms Denvir. “And with a service like the 24/7 Helpline, volunteers are able to choose shifts that fit with their other family and work commitments. ”

And as call numbers continue to increase, so does the need for volunteers. “We want to help as many New Zealanders as possible,” says Ms Denvir, “but we need people to answer the phones. If anyone would like to find out more about being a Lifeline volunteer, then we’d love to hear from you.” You can visit Lifeline Aotearoa’s website at www.lifeline.org.nz[http://spinitwide.com/go/99364d] and click on the ‘volunteer’ tab, or call on 909 8750.

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