CHILDLINE ADVICE: The volunteers who work to support children in need

At Childline, volunteers make up a crucial part of the service. Inspiring people across the North East give their time and talent to volunteer as a Childline counsellor, fundraiser, or campaigner. Behind the scenes, Childline is driven by a network of over a thousand volunteers who ensure that the service can continue.

For Childline alone, it takes a host of volunteer counsellors, switch boarders and administrative staff, working alongside volunteer fundraising committees to make sure that Childline can continue to support children during the current crisis. One girl recently told Childline:

“I just wanted to let the Childline volunteers know that we are all glad that you support us, and continue to with what’s going on in the world right now.”

The work of each and every volunteer helps to keep the service going. Even though each person may be doing something different, it’s all done with the aim of supporting children.

Last year, a child contacted Childline every 25 seconds, with many going on to speak to a counsellor. These volunteers have been specially trained to provide counselling sessions for children and young people. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, with a range of ages and backgrounds, with some training from the age of 16 right through to others joining during retirement.

Alongside the counsellors, there are also volunteers working as switch boarders, and are the first friendly voice a child hears when they call Childline. Then, there are the Childline administrators. They use their organisational skills to offer administrative support to a Childline base.

Many people also volunteer as fundraisers. It takes £4 to answer a call to Childline. This goes towards making sure Childline can be a free resource for children, as well as making sure that counsellors have the right tools to be there to respond to them. This is where people who volunteer to fundraise come in.

One recent example is the virtual bluebell walk, which was hosted by the volunteer NSPCC Alnwick Committee. Usually, the walk would have exclusive access to the Northumberland Estate. This year, due to social distancing regulations, the committee volunteered to help produce a video of the bluebells for people to watch online. So far, the virtual event has raised more than a thousand pounds for Childline.

Meanwhile, Sarah Hughes in Whitley Bay has been volunteering by designing clothing which she has then sold to raise money for Childline. Sarah has given her time and skills to do something she enjoyed while raising crucial funds for Childline. Sarah, too, has raised thousands of pounds through her entrepreneurial fundraising.

This annual volunteer week certainly feels different for Childline. Volunteers from across the North East have spent the last few months working incredibly hard to make sure that children aren’t left behind during the crisis, and that they always have access to free support.

I’d like to personally thank every person who has ever helped Childline, ranging from our volunteers to those who have decided to donate to us during this challenging time. Every single person makes a difference when it comes to the fight for every childhood.

While our volunteers are working hard throughout this volunteer’s week, it would mean so much if you could take the time to donate and support their work. Please consider supporting the urgent appeal ‘Still here for children’ and donate £10 to help fund vital services like Childline, so the charity can continue to be here for children.