SOS Help Celebrates 50 Years of Listening in France

For 50 years SOS Help has offered emotional support via a listening service in English for people who have moved to France from another country.  Our service is run by a team of volunteers made up of people like you who moved abroad and know what it’s like to live in a foreign country.

Things have changed since 1974 when SOS Help was first started.  Thanks to the internet, moving country no longer needs to mean losing touch with your network of friends and family.  Much cheaper travel also offers more opportunity to stay connected.  And yet people can feel isolated and unsupported when living far from home.

Chad Varah, founder of the Samaritans, helped found our service in Paris in 1974, together with the senior Pastor of the American Church and medical professionals from the American Hospital.  Today, our volunteer listeners are trained using a course developed by the Samaritans and used by other members of the organisation” Befrienders Worldwide”

If you know of our line and would like to help, we would be very grateful if you can help raise awareness by spreading the word to those who may need us.

If you think that you might be interested in volunteering for SOS Help as a listener, please go to our website for information regarding the next listener training session.

Our service is free and to cover our basic costs we rely on financial and other contributions from individuals, associations and companies. If you would like to make a donation, please visit soshelpline.org for more information.

In the meantime, our volunteers remain available from 3pm to 11pm on 01 46 21 46 46 every day to take your call.  We offer a chance to those in need to share their thoughts about what is troubling them.  There is no judgement; no telling you what to do.  Just an opportunity to talk things through with people who care and understand.

It all helps us to help people like you or someone you know.  Help us raise awareness of SOS Help and keep the line open for future callers.