Monday 4 April 2011

What's it like volunteering for Nightline?

London Nightline is a confidential listening, support and practical information service for students in London. You can literally talk to them about anything from a good taxi firm late on a Friday night to the moments when all those deadlines just get a bit much. 

They are open between 6pm to 8am every night of term and there are loads of ways to get in contact. You can call on 0207 631 0101, email them, chat via Skype (search for londonnightline) or instant message them through the website. This amazing service is made possible because of student volunteers. 

The best way to find out what it’s like being a Nightline volunteer is to hear from one directly. However this KUSU Volunteer report is slightly different as Nightline volunteers are anonymous! However we didn’t think that should stop them getting the opportunity to shout about the great work they get up to so here’s a little insight…

I’m a third year Kingston student and I volunteer for London Nightline. Nightline is a confidential listening and support service for students, run by trained students. People call Nightline for various reasons. They may call to talk about their problems, or simply to chat about how they are feeling.

Joining Nightline is one of the best decisions I made while studying at Kingston. Through training and being on the line, I learnt so many skills that will remain useful for the rest of my life.

It was also great getting to meet fellow volunteers,  many unique people from universities across London. There are students from various backgrounds studying different courses, but we all have one thing in common – which is passion for helping others. There is also a co-ordinator who is very supportive so you never feel alone.  Fun activities such as trips and night outs are organized for the volunteers on regular basis, which helps you socialise and establish a bond with other volunteers. 

If you have a desire to volunteer and help fellow students – you might enjoy and learn from joining Nightline. I personally feel that I have progressed and grown so much stronger as an individual through having the opportunity to be a part of such a fantastic organisation.

Sounds pretty good I’d say! Applications to volunteer are currently closed but they’ll be recruiting again in October. Keep an eye on our Facebook page and mailing list if you’re interested and we’ll let you know all the details and how you can apply.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...