The holiday season is here and Christmas is also just around the corner. We know that in 2021 our callers have been thankful for our services and we decided to ask staff and volunteers at SOS Help what they have been grateful for this year. We start here with one of our Listeners, and over the coming weeks leading up until Christmas we will publish the answers of more of our team.
If you would like to help us to continue to provide our services in 2022, you can make a donation at the bottom of the page.
We wish you and your loved ones happy and healthy holidays.
Listener – “I’m grateful for the arrival of new trainee listeners”.
For many, this year has been one of strong emotions. The world has started to return to life and people have been able to once more see family and friends and enjoy public spaces. This is good news for some, but for others it has brought new fears. We have heard this from callers to SOS Help.
“I have been feeling very low today and I can’t concentrate on my studies.”
“I haven’t seen my family for over a year. I miss them. I can’t tell them because I don’t want them to worry about me.”
“I am quite happy working from home. I have got used to it and I’m scared I’m going to have to go back to my office.”
I am happy we can now recruit and train new Listeners to replace those who have inevitably left over the last two years. We have been reassured and warmed by the number of people who have contacted us wanting to join us. We are now able to start our first training programme for two years and we hope to repeat and train another group of Listeners early in 2022.
The people who have made contact with us want to help others in their unhappiness and distress. As a volunteer myself, I also know the benefits volunteering can bring to me and how it can improve my own sense of well–being. I can learn new skills, it gives me a sense of purpose and self–worth and I can meet new friends. We hope our new trainees experience all this and more. We are very happy to welcome them onboard!
If you would like to support SOS Help this holiday season, you can make a donation HERE or by contacting us at the Maison de Associations 4 Rue Amélie, 75007 Paris.
15 euros pays for the cost of running our Listening Post for one day
25 euros pays for our phone bill for one month
50 euros pays for a Listeners’ monthly support session with a qualified Counsellor
150 euros pays for the training of a new Listener
300 euros pays our phone costs for one year
500 euros pays for our Listening Post for one mon
