IN the past 12 months, Phoebe Crane has talked 53 people back from the verge of suicide – in fact she’s just finished a shift where she encountered three suicide calls.
Phoebe worked all her life until a disability forced her out of the workforce and that is what kick-started her journey as a telephone crisis supporter for Lifeline Mid Coast.
“I want to live in a suicide-safer community where we all look after and support each other and I know that starts with me,” Phoebe said.
“Being a telephone crisis supporter has been a rewarding experience. Believing that every person matters, especially those people with no-one to listen to their stories, stories that need to be heard and acknowledged.”
Lifeline Mid Coast is currently seeking people and businesses to consider sponsoring a telephone crisis supporter. This year they have several candidates who have been screened and identified as potentially great telephone crisis supporters, but who are not in the best financial position to afford the training.
“To fully train a new telephone crisis supporter costs about $5000 per person,” a spokesperson for Lifeline said.
“We need about 100 telephone counsellors on our books to be able to attend to calls 24 hours per day, seven days per week, with up to two crisis supporters per shift.
“All our supporters are unpaid volunteers. Your sponsorship is used to provide the necessary recruitment, training, supervision, equipment, reference manuals and professional support required.
“We are seeking a $495 sponsorship per supporter and your contribution is fully tax deductible.”
If you can help, please email Maria at Lifeline Mid Coast on admin@lifelinemidcoast.org.au or phone 6581 2800.
