Increased household bills, rising energy costs, more expensive household essentials – the cost of living is affecting everyone. With this comes increased levels of worry and stress as individuals and families are concerned for the future and how they can continue to make ends meet. Many people are experiencing debt which can take a huge toll on mental and physical health. Furthermore, these cost-of-living concerns are compounded by existing challenges that people face such as addiction and relationship issues.
The importance of telephone support services cannot be underestimated, they have always been a vital service for people in Northern Ireland – and that’s now even more so the case. Telephone helplines continue to be there day and night as a reliable source of comfort and crisis support for people. Every year more than 500,000 calls are made to our 38 member helplines. That’s almost 10,000 call every single week, showing just how often people need to turn to telephone support services.
Telephone Helplines
The sector is under huge pressure. People who have never struggled before, or never had to turn to a support service in the past may now be considering doing so. People need to know that support is available and where to look to be able to get the help they need. Our members provide immediate and vital support to the people of Northern Ireland, some on a 24-hour basis . But the reality is that telephone services are becoming increasingly costly to run, and with less disposable income many charities are experiencing a drop in donations and cuts to funding. In addition, many services are not only underfunded but under-resourced and rely on the support of volunteers who offer up their time.
Effective partnership working is key to ensure Northern Ireland’s telephone support services survive long term. We’re a network with a core focus on collaboration and knowledge sharing, funded by the Public Health Agency we bring together the expertise of different organisations and work together to improve the support provided to the public. All of our 38 members are informed of the capabilities and services offered by each other, and are able to direct callers to the most appropriate service for them ensuring people get the help they need at the time they need it. And that’s crucial to ensure telephone services operate as efficiently as possible.
Our members provide advice, support and information on a huge range of issues and we support them by maintaining a spotlight on how crucial their role is in today’s world and the invaluable services they offer. Helplines Awareness Day 2023 takes place at Parliament Buildings on March 22nd. The theme this year is Helplines Supporting NI Through Challenging Times and it’s an opportunity to come together to raise awareness and give stakeholders working to deliver services to the citizens of Northern Ireland the opportunity to understand the extensive range of issues affecting services users during these challenging times.
All of this collaboration is helpful, but there’s a long way to go to ensure our member organisations can continue to grow, fund, and deliver their services in support of the vulnerable and where many face-to-face services no longer exist – especially as societal context changes and the issues facing society become more complex.
It’s likely that all of us will need support at some point in our lives. It’s our mission to ensure that people know support is just a call away.
