Feedback from Young People
As a Helpline Volunteer, you will help many young people. Here are just a few comments and an example story from the young people we have supported:
Feedback from young people
“Whilst talking to Get Connected I felt as though I could talk about anything because they were not going to criticize me or tell me that my feelings were wrong.” Lily, Eastbourne
“I phoned and cried for quite a while to the lady on the other end of the phone. She was lovely and very calming; she listened to me rambling on about everything. Speaking to her had made me feel safe again, and I was able to breathe again.” - James, Dumfries
"I felt supported all the way through the conversation and I felt like people cared." Ranjit, Bristol
“She helped find the websites that would best support me and would be the most useful to me and was very caring.” Chelsea, Darlington
"The way i could just open up and feel completely safe talking to somebody i don’t even know!" Connor, Swansea
From housing issues to bullying, physical and mental abuse to drugs or alcohol problems, young people contact us for many reasons. Here is just one example of the stories we hear at Get Connected every day:
Jessica's Story
Everyday Jessica went to school feeling overwhelmed. As a 15 year-old, she had already had problems with heavy drinking and harming herself. Three of Jessica’s family had recently died, including a beloved bipolar aunt who committed suicide.
Jessica had been to see a counsellor, but she didn’t feel that it helped and she didn’t like the person she saw. On top of everything else, Jessica had no financial support, and felt that she had run of options for help. With the stress of her life building, she began to have an eating disorder. She was only eating one small meal a day, and even that was making her feel ill.
A teacher at Jessica’s school noticed that she was having problems and gave Jessica a card with Get Connected’s contact information. Jessica followed her teacher’s recommendation and called the helpline free of charge.
She was able to speak with a kind volunteer who gave her information for multiple organisations that she could turn to in her area. Thanks first to Jessica being given Get Connected’s number through her teacher, and because she decided to make the call, she was able to cope better with the problems in her life by getting the help she otherwise wouldn’t have sought or thought she couldn’t afford.