Source: Radio New Zealand
Youthline is reviewing its workforce and has temporarily stood down some of its helpline volunteers. 123rf.com
A Youthline volunteer among those stood down because the organisation is reviewing its training says it has put her off returning to the role.
The charity temporarily stood down some of its helpline volunteers who need to do more training or up their hours while it reviews its workforce.
It runs free services including a helpline, face-to-face counselling, mentoring, and programmes in schools.
Sharon Beattie completed the training just before the stand-down in October and said there had been a lack of ongoing information from Youthline about it.
“I would have liked a lot more transparency about what was happening and why, the criteria that they were looking at, the problems they were trying to solve. That’s never been made clear.”
She said she and others were advised by email but there was no timeframe or information about what would happen to their roles.
Beattie said the training was robust and often intense, with people sharing their own mental health experiences.
“I’m particularly concerned about some of the younger people for whom this was the first volunteer experience.”
Beattie said she would not return to Youthline.
“I would love to work in this space, but I no longer want to work for Youthline because… it’s tricky work and you need to back yourself, but what you need to know is you’re working for an organisation that backs you as well. And I don’t feel that Youthline does,” she said.
“I know there’s a high need for support, I know it’s a tricky time to be a young person and I just wanted to give back something in that space and I felt I had some good skills to offer and experience.”
Youthline receives an average of 80 contacts a day from young people, of which an average of three result in referrals to emergency services.
Its chief executive Shae Ronald said of the 200 volunteers on their books, only 25 worked regular shifts.
The helpline is staffed with clinical and paid workers around the clock, with volunteers as support workers between 8am and 10pm but Ronald said most of the time there were fewer than two volunteers on a shift.
She said they were doing a nationwide review of the helpline’s staffing, standardising training and supervision for volunteers, and did not yet know how many roles would be needed.
“Youthline’s been looking at how it could improve the provision of best practice, consistent, safe service to young people and support volunteers better.”
Ronald said volunteers among those stood down were advised it was for one of four reasons: “They were a trainee, they hadn’t undertaken a shift in the previous three months, they hadn’t completed the risk training modules or quality issues were identified.”
She said the organisation needed to change to safely respond to significant increases in demand and more complex cases.
“This is not about reducing volunteer numbers, it is about making sure every young person who reaches out to us is supported by someone who’s fully trained and supervised and able to provide a best practice, consistent, safe service.”
Ronald said the helpline remained fully operational 24/7.
“We expect this transition phase to continue over the coming months, as standardised training and supervision is rolled out consistently across the network.
“Importantly, the helpline remains fully operational 24/7, and these changes are about ensuring it is safe, consistent and sustainable as demand continues to grow.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
